diff --git a/k8sdeps/kunstruct/kunstruct.go b/k8sdeps/kunstruct/kunstruct.go
index dc3a100d6..dd854b557 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/kunstruct/kunstruct.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/kunstruct/kunstruct.go
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ package kunstruct
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	jsonpatch "github.com/evanphx/json-patch"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
 
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/types"
@@ -285,3 +289,59 @@ func (fs *UnstructAdapter) MatchesAnnotationSelector(selector string) (bool, err
 	}
 	return s.Matches(labels.Set(fs.GetAnnotations())), nil
 }
+
+func (fs *UnstructAdapter) Patch(patch ifc.Kunstructured) error {
+	versionedObj, err := scheme.Scheme.New(
+		toSchemaGvk(patch.GetGvk()))
+	merged := map[string]interface{}{}
+	saveName := fs.GetName()
+	switch {
+	case runtime.IsNotRegisteredError(err):
+		baseBytes, err := json.Marshal(fs.Map())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		patchBytes, err := json.Marshal(patch.Map())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		mergedBytes, err := jsonpatch.MergePatch(baseBytes, patchBytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = json.Unmarshal(mergedBytes, &merged)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case err != nil:
+		return err
+	default:
+		// Use Strategic-Merge-Patch to handle types w/ schema
+		// TODO: Change this to use the new Merge package.
+		// Store the name of the target object, because this name may have been munged.
+		// Apply this name to the patched object.
+		lookupPatchMeta, err := strategicpatch.NewPatchMetaFromStruct(versionedObj)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		merged, err = strategicpatch.StrategicMergeMapPatchUsingLookupPatchMeta(
+			fs.Map(),
+			patch.Map(),
+			lookupPatchMeta)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	fs.SetMap(merged)
+	fs.SetName(saveName)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// toSchemaGvk converts to a schema.GroupVersionKind.
+func toSchemaGvk(x gvk.Gvk) schema.GroupVersionKind {
+	return schema.GroupVersionKind{
+		Group:   x.Group,
+		Version: x.Version,
+		Kind:    x.Kind,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/k8sdeps/transformer/factory.go b/k8sdeps/transformer/factory.go
index ce071b157..012913b32 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/transformer/factory.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/transformer/factory.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package transformer
 
 import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/k8sdeps/transformer/patch"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resource"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/transformers"
 )
@@ -18,6 +19,12 @@ func NewFactoryImpl() *FactoryImpl {
 	return &FactoryImpl{}
 }
 
+func (p *FactoryImpl) MergePatches(patches []*resource.Resource,
+	rf *resource.Factory) (
+	resmap.ResMap, error) {
+	return patch.MergePatches(patches, rf)
+}
+
 // MakePatchTransformer makes a new patch transformer
 func (p *FactoryImpl) MakePatchTransformer(
 	slice []*resource.Resource,
diff --git a/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/conflictdetector.go b/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/conflictdetector.go
index 42adb3c8e..f575dfa0f 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/conflictdetector.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/conflictdetector.go
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ package patch
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/gvk"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resmap"
 
 	"github.com/evanphx/json-patch"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
@@ -122,3 +127,64 @@ func (smp *strategicMergePatch) mergePatches(patch1, patch2 *resource.Resource)
 		smp.lookupPatchMeta, patch1.Map(), patch2.Map())
 	return smp.rf.FromMap(mergeJSONMap), err
 }
+
+// mergePatches merge and index patches by OrgId.
+// It errors out if there is conflict between patches.
+func MergePatches(patches []*resource.Resource,
+	rf *resource.Factory) (resmap.ResMap, error) {
+	rc := resmap.New()
+	for ix, patch := range patches {
+		id := patch.OrgId()
+		existing := rc.GetMatchingResourcesByOriginalId(id.GvknEquals)
+		if len(existing) == 0 {
+			rc.Append(patch)
+			continue
+		}
+		if len(existing) > 1 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("self conflict in patches")
+		}
+
+		versionedObj, err := scheme.Scheme.New(toSchemaGvk(id.Gvk))
+		if err != nil && !runtime.IsNotRegisteredError(err) {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		var cd conflictDetector
+		if err != nil {
+			cd = newJMPConflictDetector(rf)
+		} else {
+			cd, err = newSMPConflictDetector(versionedObj, rf)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
+
+		conflict, err := cd.hasConflict(existing[0], patch)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if conflict {
+			conflictingPatch, err := cd.findConflict(ix, patches)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+				"conflict between %#v and %#v",
+				conflictingPatch.Map(), patch.Map())
+		}
+		merged, err := cd.mergePatches(existing[0], patch)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		rc.Replace(merged)
+	}
+	return rc, nil
+}
+
+// toSchemaGvk converts to a schema.GroupVersionKind.
+func toSchemaGvk(x gvk.Gvk) schema.GroupVersionKind {
+	return schema.GroupVersionKind{
+		Group:   x.Group,
+		Version: x.Version,
+		Kind:    x.Kind,
+	}
+}
diff --git a/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/transformer.go b/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/transformer.go
index 692b0b75e..dd45720f7 100644
--- a/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/transformer.go
+++ b/k8sdeps/transformer/patch/transformer.go
@@ -4,15 +4,6 @@
 package patch
 
 import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
-
-	"github.com/evanphx/json-patch"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
-	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/strategicpatch"
-	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes/scheme"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/gvk"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resmap"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resource"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/transformers"
@@ -38,7 +29,7 @@ func NewTransformer(
 // Transform apply the patches on top of the base resources.
 // nolint:ineffassign
 func (tf *transformer) Transform(m resmap.ResMap) error {
-	patches, err := tf.mergePatches()
+	patches, err := MergePatches(tf.patches, tf.rf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -47,110 +38,10 @@ func (tf *transformer) Transform(m resmap.ResMap) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		merged := map[string]interface{}{}
-		versionedObj, err := scheme.Scheme.New(
-			toSchemaGvk(patch.OrgId().Gvk))
-		saveName := target.GetName()
-		switch {
-		case runtime.IsNotRegisteredError(err):
-			// Use JSON merge patch to handle types w/o schema
-			baseBytes, err := json.Marshal(target.Map())
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			patchBytes, err := json.Marshal(patch.Map())
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			mergedBytes, err := jsonpatch.MergePatch(baseBytes, patchBytes)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			err = json.Unmarshal(mergedBytes, &merged)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-		case err != nil:
+		err = target.Patch(patch.Kunstructured)
+		if err != nil {
 			return err
-		default:
-			// Use Strategic-Merge-Patch to handle types w/ schema
-			// TODO: Change this to use the new Merge package.
-			// Store the name of the target object, because this name may have been munged.
-			// Apply this name to the patched object.
-			lookupPatchMeta, err := strategicpatch.NewPatchMetaFromStruct(versionedObj)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			merged, err = strategicpatch.StrategicMergeMapPatchUsingLookupPatchMeta(
-				target.Map(),
-				patch.Map(),
-				lookupPatchMeta)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
 		}
-		target.SetMap(merged)
-		target.SetName(saveName)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
-
-// mergePatches merge and index patches by OrgId.
-// It errors out if there is conflict between patches.
-func (tf *transformer) mergePatches() (resmap.ResMap, error) {
-	rc := resmap.New()
-	for ix, patch := range tf.patches {
-		id := patch.OrgId()
-		existing := rc.GetMatchingResourcesByOriginalId(id.GvknEquals)
-		if len(existing) == 0 {
-			rc.Append(patch)
-			continue
-		}
-		if len(existing) > 1 {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("self conflict in patches")
-		}
-
-		versionedObj, err := scheme.Scheme.New(toSchemaGvk(id.Gvk))
-		if err != nil && !runtime.IsNotRegisteredError(err) {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		var cd conflictDetector
-		if err != nil {
-			cd = newJMPConflictDetector(tf.rf)
-		} else {
-			cd, err = newSMPConflictDetector(versionedObj, tf.rf)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-		}
-
-		conflict, err := cd.hasConflict(existing[0], patch)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		if conflict {
-			conflictingPatch, err := cd.findConflict(ix, tf.patches)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf(
-				"conflict between %#v and %#v",
-				conflictingPatch.Map(), patch.Map())
-		}
-		merged, err := cd.mergePatches(existing[0], patch)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		rc.Replace(merged)
-	}
-	return rc, nil
-}
-
-// toSchemaGvk converts to a schema.GroupVersionKind.
-func toSchemaGvk(x gvk.Gvk) schema.GroupVersionKind {
-	return schema.GroupVersionKind{
-		Group:   x.Group,
-		Version: x.Version,
-		Kind:    x.Kind,
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/commands.go b/pkg/commands/commands.go
index 51b8f2875..c2de72413 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/commands.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/commands.go
@@ -36,12 +36,13 @@ See https://sigs.k8s.io/kustomize
 	}
 
 	uf := kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()
-	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(uf))
+	pf := transformer.NewFactoryImpl()
+	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(uf), pf)
 	v := validator.NewKustValidator()
 	c.AddCommand(
 		build.NewCmdBuild(
 			stdOut, fSys, v,
-			rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl()),
+			rf, pf),
 		edit.NewCmdEdit(fSys, v, uf),
 		misc.NewCmdConfig(fSys),
 		misc.NewCmdVersion(stdOut),
diff --git a/pkg/ifc/ifc.go b/pkg/ifc/ifc.go
index fff4bdb0d..188e67c60 100644
--- a/pkg/ifc/ifc.go
+++ b/pkg/ifc/ifc.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ type Kunstructured interface {
 	SetAnnotations(map[string]string)
 	MatchesLabelSelector(selector string) (bool, error)
 	MatchesAnnotationSelector(selector string) (bool, error)
+	Patch(Kunstructured) error
 }
 
 // KunstructuredFactory makes instances of Kunstructured.
diff --git a/pkg/kusttest/kusttestharness.go b/pkg/kusttest/kusttestharness.go
index 2e5adf943..528e82a36 100644
--- a/pkg/kusttest/kusttestharness.go
+++ b/pkg/kusttest/kusttestharness.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func NewKustTestHarnessFull(
 	t *testing.T, path string,
 	lr loader.LoadRestrictorFunc, pc *types.PluginConfig) *KustTestHarness {
 	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
-		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
+		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()), nil)
 	return &KustTestHarness{
 		t:   t,
 		rf:  rf,
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go b/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
index e9dfedf07..7dc7708d2 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/execplugin_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func TestExecPluginConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	path := "/app"
 	rf := resmap.NewFactory(
 		resource.NewFactory(
-			kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
+			kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()), nil)
 	ldr := loadertest.NewFakeLoader(path)
 	pluginConfig := rf.RF().FromMap(
 		map[string]interface{}{
diff --git a/pkg/plugins/loader_test.go b/pkg/plugins/loader_test.go
index 7fd5ec9d1..05b175818 100644
--- a/pkg/plugins/loader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/plugins/loader_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestLoader(t *testing.T) {
 		"someteam.example.com", "v1", "SomeServiceGenerator")
 
 	rmF := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
-		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
+		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()), nil)
 
 	l := NewLoader(ActivePluginConfig(), rmF)
 	if l == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/resmap/factory.go b/pkg/resmap/factory.go
index fb80aa935..ebe44752e 100644
--- a/pkg/resmap/factory.go
+++ b/pkg/resmap/factory.go
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ import (
 // Factory makes instances of ResMap.
 type Factory struct {
 	resF *resource.Factory
+	tf   PatchFactory
 }
 
 // NewFactory returns a new resmap.Factory.
-func NewFactory(rf *resource.Factory) *Factory {
-	return &Factory{resF: rf}
+func NewFactory(rf *resource.Factory, tf PatchFactory) *Factory {
+	return &Factory{resF: rf, tf: tf}
 }
 
 // RF returns a resource.Factory.
@@ -118,6 +119,11 @@ func (rmF *Factory) FromSecretArgs(
 	return rmF.FromResource(res), nil
 }
 
+func (rmF *Factory) MergePatches(patches []*resource.Resource) (
+	ResMap, error) {
+	return rmF.tf.MergePatches(patches, rmF.resF)
+}
+
 func newResMapFromResourceSlice(resources []*resource.Resource) (ResMap, error) {
 	result := New()
 	for _, res := range resources {
diff --git a/pkg/resmap/patchfactory.go b/pkg/resmap/patchfactory.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2c082c328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/resmap/patchfactory.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/// Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+// Package patch holds miscellaneous interfaces used by kustomize.
+package resmap
+
+import (
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/v3/pkg/resource"
+)
+
+// PatchFactory makes transformers that require k8sdeps.
+type PatchFactory interface {
+	MergePatches(patches []*resource.Resource,
+		rf *resource.Factory) (ResMap, error)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/resmap/resmap_test.go b/pkg/resmap/resmap_test.go
index cb8742599..d607d8485 100644
--- a/pkg/resmap/resmap_test.go
+++ b/pkg/resmap/resmap_test.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 var rf = resource.NewFactory(
 	kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl())
-var rmF = NewFactory(rf)
+var rmF = NewFactory(rf, nil)
 
 func doAppend(t *testing.T, w ResMap, r *resource.Resource) {
 	err := w.Append(r)
diff --git a/pkg/target/plugindir_test.go b/pkg/target/plugindir_test.go
index 5e55884aa..11b03b4e6 100644
--- a/pkg/target/plugindir_test.go
+++ b/pkg/target/plugindir_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ metadata:
 		t.Fatalf("Err: %v", err)
 	}
 	rf := resmap.NewFactory(resource.NewFactory(
-		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()))
+		kunstruct.NewKunstructuredFactoryImpl()), nil)
 
 	pl := plugins.NewLoader(plugins.ActivePluginConfig(), rf)
 	tg, err := target.NewKustTarget(ldr, rf, transformer.NewFactoryImpl(), pl)