diff --git a/docs/book/src/component-config-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/docs/book/src/component-config-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 742fea61830..e0e588792cf 100644
--- a/docs/book/src/component-config-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/docs/book/src/component-config-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,24 +26,24 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # Mount the controller config file for loading manager configurations
 # through a ComponentConfig type
-- manager_config_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_config_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-#- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+#- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 7f7f7cefb8c..e445fec445d 100644
--- a/docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/docs/book/src/cronjob-tutorial/testdata/project/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 - ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/hack/docs/internal/cronjob-tutorial/generate_cronjob.go b/hack/docs/internal/cronjob-tutorial/generate_cronjob.go
index c14fbaed488..119c8526f88 100644
--- a/hack/docs/internal/cronjob-tutorial/generate_cronjob.go
+++ b/hack/docs/internal/cronjob-tutorial/generate_cronjob.go
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ func updateKustomization(sp *Sample) {
 
 	err = pluginutil.UncommentCode(
 		filepath.Join(sp.ctx.Dir, "config/default/kustomization.yaml"),
-		`#- webhookcainjection`, `#`)
+		`#- path: webhookcainjection`, `#`)
 	CheckError("fixing default/kustomization", err)
 
 	err = pluginutil.UncommentCode(
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/internal/templates/config/kdefault/kustomization.go b/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/internal/templates/config/kdefault/kustomization.go
index e9ae8a5560b..319bcf1a6b3 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/internal/templates/config/kdefault/kustomization.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/internal/templates/config/kdefault/kustomization.go
@@ -72,27 +72,27 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 {{ if .ComponentConfig -}}
 # Mount the controller config file for loading manager configurations
 # through a ComponentConfig type
-- manager_config_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_config_patch.yaml
 
 {{ end -}}
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-#- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+#- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/webhook.go b/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/webhook.go
index 5ca84c75f4c..53e1fae1535 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/webhook.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/common/kustomize/v2/scaffolds/webhook.go
@@ -96,11 +96,11 @@ func (s *webhookScaffolder) Scaffold() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err = pluginutil.UncommentCode(kustomizeFilePath, "#- manager_webhook_patch.yaml", `#`)
+	err = pluginutil.UncommentCode(kustomizeFilePath, "#- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml", `#`)
 	if err != nil {
-		hasWebHookUncommented, err := pluginutil.HasFragment(kustomizeFilePath, "- manager_webhook_patch.yaml")
+		hasWebHookUncommented, err := pluginutil.HasFragment(kustomizeFilePath, "- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml")
 		if !hasWebHookUncommented || err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("Unable to find the target #- manager_webhook_patch.yaml to uncomment in the file "+
+			log.Errorf("Unable to find the target #- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml to uncomment in the file "+
 				"%s.", kustomizeFilePath)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/v4/generate_test.go b/test/e2e/v4/generate_test.go
index 7fc05c73f95..11ccbff8a00 100644
--- a/test/e2e/v4/generate_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/v4/generate_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func GenerateV4(kbc *utils.TestContext) {
 		"#- ../prometheus", "#")).To(Succeed())
 	ExpectWithOffset(1, pluginutil.UncommentCode(
 		filepath.Join(kbc.Dir, "config", "default", "kustomization.yaml"),
-		"#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml", "#")).To(Succeed())
+		"#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml", "#")).To(Succeed())
 	ExpectWithOffset(1, pluginutil.UncommentCode(filepath.Join(kbc.Dir, "config", "default", "kustomization.yaml"),
 		certManagerTarget, "#")).To(Succeed())
 
diff --git a/testdata/project-v4-multigroup-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/testdata/project-v4-multigroup-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 8027afebe13..2f78dfb54aa 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v4-multigroup-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/testdata/project-v4-multigroup-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/testdata/project-v4-multigroup/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/testdata/project-v4-multigroup/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index e6d46950c0e..9fe6e3630df 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v4-multigroup/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/testdata/project-v4-multigroup/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/testdata/project-v4-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/testdata/project-v4-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 88913b74d0b..62e78ccdbbe 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v4-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/testdata/project-v4-with-deploy-image/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/testdata/project-v4-with-grafana/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/testdata/project-v4-with-grafana/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index 4cac74bd765..7fca0820b0c 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v4-with-grafana/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/testdata/project-v4-with-grafana/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-#- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+#- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations
diff --git a/testdata/project-v4/config/default/kustomization.yaml b/testdata/project-v4/config/default/kustomization.yaml
index ee54697b34d..ae7fc170730 100644
--- a/testdata/project-v4/config/default/kustomization.yaml
+++ b/testdata/project-v4/config/default/kustomization.yaml
@@ -26,20 +26,20 @@ resources:
 # [PROMETHEUS] To enable prometheus monitor, uncomment all sections with 'PROMETHEUS'.
 #- ../prometheus
 
-patchesStrategicMerge:
+patches:
 # Protect the /metrics endpoint by putting it behind auth.
 # If you want your controller-manager to expose the /metrics
 # endpoint w/o any authn/z, please comment the following line.
-- manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_auth_proxy_patch.yaml
 
 # [WEBHOOK] To enable webhook, uncomment all the sections with [WEBHOOK] prefix including the one in
 # crd/kustomization.yaml
-- manager_webhook_patch.yaml
+- path: manager_webhook_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER'.
 # Uncomment 'CERTMANAGER' sections in crd/kustomization.yaml to enable the CA injection in the admission webhooks.
 # 'CERTMANAGER' needs to be enabled to use ca injection
-#- webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
+#- path: webhookcainjection_patch.yaml
 
 # [CERTMANAGER] To enable cert-manager, uncomment all sections with 'CERTMANAGER' prefix.
 # Uncomment the following replacements to add the cert-manager CA injection annotations