diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/k8s-patch.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/k8s-patch.ts
index 812a4f73b043c..7a755cc1d3a02 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/k8s-patch.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/k8s-patch.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import { Construct, Stack } from "@aws-cdk/core";
 import { Cluster } from "./cluster";
 import { KubectlProvider } from "./kubectl-provider";
 
-export interface CoreDnsComputeTypeProps {
+export interface CoreDnsComputeTypeProps extends KubernetesPatchProps {}
+export interface KubernetesPatchProps {
   /**
    * The cluster to apply the patch to.
    */
@@ -30,6 +31,20 @@ export interface CoreDnsComputeTypeProps {
    * @default "default"
    */
   readonly resourceNamespace?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * The patch type to pass to `kubectl patch`.
+   * The default type used by `kubectl patch` is "strategic".
+   *
+   * @default "strategic"
+   */
+  readonly patchType?: PatchType;
+}
+
+export enum PatchType {
+  JSON = "json",
+  MERGE = "merge",
+  STRATEGIC = "strategic"
 }
 
 /**
@@ -37,7 +52,7 @@ export interface CoreDnsComputeTypeProps {
  * Kubernetes resource.
  */
 export class KubernetesPatch extends Construct {
-  constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props: CoreDnsComputeTypeProps) {
+  constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props: KubernetesPatchProps) {
     super(scope, id);
 
     const stack = Stack.of(this);
@@ -52,8 +67,9 @@ export class KubernetesPatch extends Construct {
         ApplyPatchJson: stack.toJsonString(props.applyPatch),
         RestorePatchJson: stack.toJsonString(props.restorePatch),
         ClusterName: props.cluster.clusterName,
-        RoleArn: props.cluster._getKubectlCreationRoleArn(provider.role)
+        RoleArn: props.cluster._getKubectlCreationRoleArn(provider.role),
+        PatchType: props.patchType ?? PatchType.STRATEGIC
       }
     });
   }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/kubectl-handler/patch/__init__.py b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/kubectl-handler/patch/__init__.py
index b427b71f6342b..d6211b9348e1e 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/kubectl-handler/patch/__init__.py
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/lib/kubectl-handler/patch/__init__.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ def patch_handler(event, context):
     resource_namespace = props['ResourceNamespace']
     apply_patch_json = props['ApplyPatchJson']
     restore_patch_json = props['RestorePatchJson']
+    patch_type = props['PatchType']
 
     patch_json = None
     if request_type == 'Create' or request_type == 'Update': 
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ def patch_handler(event, context):
     else:
         raise Exception("invalid request type %s" % request_type)
 
-    kubectl([ 'patch', resource_name, '-n', resource_namespace, '-p', patch_json ])
+    kubectl([ 'patch', resource_name, '-n', resource_namespace, '-p', patch_json, '--type', patch_type ])
 
 
 def kubectl(args):
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
index 4e0fd0d7605a5..de1aa505baf0b 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/integ.eks-cluster.expected.json
@@ -1756,7 +1756,7 @@
               },
               "/",
               {
-                "Ref": "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859S3BucketBA51B749"
+                "Ref": "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87S3BucketB4483E96"
               },
               "/",
               {
@@ -1766,7 +1766,7 @@
                     "Fn::Split": [
                       "||",
                       {
-                        "Ref": "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859S3VersionKey723A87EA"
+                        "Ref": "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87S3VersionKey0402E731"
                       }
                     ]
                   }
@@ -1779,7 +1779,7 @@
                     "Fn::Split": [
                       "||",
                       {
-                        "Ref": "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859S3VersionKey723A87EA"
+                        "Ref": "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87S3VersionKey0402E731"
                       }
                     ]
                   }
@@ -1789,11 +1789,11 @@
           ]
         },
         "Parameters": {
-          "referencetoawscdkeksclustertestAssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3Bucket5C1311C2Ref": {
-            "Ref": "AssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3Bucket8A1A4BE8"
+          "referencetoawscdkeksclustertestAssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3Bucket6A8A7186Ref": {
+            "Ref": "AssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3Bucket0C3A00C2"
           },
-          "referencetoawscdkeksclustertestAssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3VersionKey33922910Ref": {
-            "Ref": "AssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3VersionKeyB580A234"
+          "referencetoawscdkeksclustertestAssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3VersionKeyA18C5C39Ref": {
+            "Ref": "AssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3VersionKeyBED95764"
           },
           "referencetoawscdkeksclustertestAssetParameters6c3e21f76e4ba0bc4b901f71bfa9c1eaf7929edcfd9a1591690d12b024100044S3Bucket24E1CF9DRef": {
             "Ref": "AssetParameters6c3e21f76e4ba0bc4b901f71bfa9c1eaf7929edcfd9a1591690d12b024100044S3Bucket75CDEB48"
@@ -1901,29 +1901,29 @@
       "Type": "String",
       "Description": "Artifact hash for asset \"6c3e21f76e4ba0bc4b901f71bfa9c1eaf7929edcfd9a1591690d12b024100044\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3Bucket8A1A4BE8": {
+    "AssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3Bucket0C3A00C2": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "S3 bucket for asset \"809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2\""
+      "Description": "S3 bucket for asset \"a6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afb\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2S3VersionKeyB580A234": {
+    "AssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbS3VersionKeyBED95764": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "S3 key for asset version \"809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2\""
+      "Description": "S3 key for asset version \"a6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afb\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2ArtifactHash5CE7C76A": {
+    "AssetParametersa6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afbArtifactHashBF08C2D7": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "Artifact hash for asset \"809b8ac7e88704d37fac32bbd5cfa56be7ea4d3e9ddb682d216c4b6868cd8fa2\""
+      "Description": "Artifact hash for asset \"a6d508eaaa0d3cddbb47a84123fc878809c8431c5466f360912f70b5b9770afb\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859S3BucketBA51B749": {
+    "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87S3BucketB4483E96": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "S3 bucket for asset \"6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859\""
+      "Description": "S3 bucket for asset \"b2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859S3VersionKey723A87EA": {
+    "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87S3VersionKey0402E731": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "S3 key for asset version \"6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859\""
+      "Description": "S3 key for asset version \"b2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87\""
     },
-    "AssetParameters6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859ArtifactHash22D2ECF0": {
+    "AssetParametersb2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87ArtifactHash1FD4BC6F": {
       "Type": "String",
-      "Description": "Artifact hash for asset \"6a008e167065eeab066c7f96e7f3c21c2636476b93c075681fba2953ae54a859\""
+      "Description": "Artifact hash for asset \"b2a83bc01824acea756ffd355b4f53ae58aacffc1525dc8c75796ebb74cd8f87\""
     },
     "AssetParameters6348c4414dfcbc19ed407c51ecc75d12faf4ee3219e972437d4ceed53e5b79a0S3BucketEF51ACE0": {
       "Type": "String",
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.k8s-patch.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.k8s-patch.ts
index 9aa05c2f94c0d..4a22aa4b72b6c 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.k8s-patch.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/aws-eks/test/test.k8s-patch.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { expect, haveResource } from '@aws-cdk/assert';
 import { Stack } from '@aws-cdk/core';
 import { Test } from 'nodeunit';
 import * as eks from '../lib';
-import { KubernetesPatch } from '../lib/k8s-patch';
+import { KubernetesPatch, PatchType } from '../lib/k8s-patch';
 
 export = {
   'applies a patch to k8s'(test: Test) {
@@ -41,5 +41,64 @@ export = {
       }
     }));
     test.done();
+  },
+  'defaults to "strategic" patch type if no patchType is specified'(test: Test) {
+    // GIVEN
+    const stack = new Stack();
+    const cluster = new eks.Cluster(stack, 'MyCluster');
+
+    // WHEN
+    new KubernetesPatch(stack, 'MyPatch', {
+      cluster,
+      applyPatch: { patch: { to: 'apply' } },
+      restorePatch: { restore: { patch: 123 }},
+      resourceName: 'myResourceName',
+    });
+    expect(stack).to(haveResource('Custom::AWSCDK-EKS-KubernetesPatch', {
+      PatchType: "strategic"
+    }));
+    test.done();
+  },
+  'uses specified to patch type if specified'(test: Test) {
+    // GIVEN
+    const stack = new Stack();
+    const cluster = new eks.Cluster(stack, 'MyCluster');
+
+    // WHEN
+    new KubernetesPatch(stack, 'jsonPatch', {
+      cluster,
+      applyPatch: { patch: { to: 'apply' } },
+      restorePatch: { restore: { patch: 123 }},
+      resourceName: 'jsonPatchResource',
+      patchType: PatchType.JSON
+    });
+    new KubernetesPatch(stack, 'mergePatch', {
+      cluster,
+      applyPatch: { patch: { to: 'apply' } },
+      restorePatch: { restore: { patch: 123 }},
+      resourceName: 'mergePatchResource',
+      patchType: PatchType.MERGE
+    });
+    new KubernetesPatch(stack, 'strategicPatch', {
+      cluster,
+      applyPatch: { patch: { to: 'apply' } },
+      restorePatch: { restore: { patch: 123 }},
+      resourceName: 'strategicPatchResource',
+      patchType: PatchType.STRATEGIC
+    });
+
+    expect(stack).to(haveResource('Custom::AWSCDK-EKS-KubernetesPatch', {
+      ResourceName: "jsonPatchResource",
+      PatchType: "json"
+    }));
+    expect(stack).to(haveResource('Custom::AWSCDK-EKS-KubernetesPatch', {
+      ResourceName: "mergePatchResource",
+      PatchType: "merge"
+    }));
+    expect(stack).to(haveResource('Custom::AWSCDK-EKS-KubernetesPatch', {
+      ResourceName: "strategicPatchResource",
+      PatchType: "strategic"
+    }));
+    test.done();
   }
 };
\ No newline at end of file