diff --git a/api/types/kustomization.go b/api/types/kustomization.go
index c194dcc3c..0aef52e2c 100644
--- a/api/types/kustomization.go
+++ b/api/types/kustomization.go
@@ -222,6 +222,13 @@ func (k *Kustomization) FixKustomizationPreMarshalling() error {
 	k.Patches = append(k.Patches, k.PatchesJson6902...)
 	k.PatchesJson6902 = nil
 
+	if k.PatchesStrategicMerge != nil {
+		for _, patchStrategicMerge := range k.PatchesStrategicMerge {
+			k.Patches = append(k.Patches, Patch{Patch: string(patchStrategicMerge)})
+		}
+		k.PatchesStrategicMerge = nil
+	}
+
 	// this fix is not in FixKustomizationPostUnmarshalling because
 	// it will break some commands like `create` and `add`. those
 	// commands depend on 'commonLabels' field
diff --git a/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix.go b/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix.go
index eb1e260fb..69afb953b 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix.go
@@ -68,12 +68,14 @@ func RunFix(fSys filesys.FileSystem, w io.Writer) error {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, `
 Fixed fields:
   patchesJson6902 -> patches
+  patchesStrategicMerge -> patches
   commonLabels -> labels
   vars -> replacements`)
 	} else {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, `
 Fixed fields:
   patchesJson6902 -> patches
+  patchesStrategicMerge -> patches
   commonLabels -> labels
 
 To convert vars -> replacements, run the command `+"`kustomize edit fix --vars`"+`
diff --git a/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix_test.go b/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix_test.go
index 163d03baa..e6e1e5b0d 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix_test.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/edit/fix/fix_test.go
@@ -112,6 +112,107 @@ kind: Kustomization
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFixOutdatedPatchesStrategicMergeFieldTitle(t *testing.T) {
+	kustomizationContentWithOutdatedPatchesFieldTitle := []byte(`
+patchesStrategicMerge:
+- |-
+  apiVersion: apps/v1
+  kind: Deployment
+  metadata:
+    name: nginx
+  spec:
+    template:
+      spec:
+        containers:
+          - name: nginx
+            image: nignx:latest
+`)
+
+	expected := []byte(`
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+patches:
+- patch: |-
+    apiVersion: apps/v1
+    kind: Deployment
+    metadata:
+      name: nginx
+    spec:
+      template:
+        spec:
+          containers:
+            - name: nginx
+              image: nignx:latest
+`)
+	fSys := filesys.MakeFsInMemory()
+	testutils_test.WriteTestKustomizationWith(fSys, kustomizationContentWithOutdatedPatchesFieldTitle)
+	cmd := NewCmdFix(fSys, os.Stdout)
+	assert.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, nil))
+
+	content, err := testutils_test.ReadTestKustomization(fSys)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, string(content), "apiVersion: ")
+	assert.Contains(t, string(content), "kind: Kustomization")
+
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(expected, content); diff != "" {
+		t.Errorf("Mismatch (-expected, +actual):\n%s", diff)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFixAndMergeOutdatedPatchesStrategicMergeFieldTitle(t *testing.T) {
+	kustomizationContentWithOutdatedPatchesFieldTitle := []byte(`
+patchesStrategicMerge:
+- |-
+  apiVersion: apps/v1
+  kind: Deployment
+  metadata:
+    name: nginx
+  spec:
+    template:
+      spec:
+        containers:
+          - name: nginx
+            image: nignx:latest
+patches:
+- path: patch2.yaml
+  target:
+    kind: Deployment
+`)
+
+	expected := []byte(`
+patches:
+- path: patch2.yaml
+  target:
+    kind: Deployment
+- patch: |-
+    apiVersion: apps/v1
+    kind: Deployment
+    metadata:
+      name: nginx
+    spec:
+      template:
+        spec:
+          containers:
+            - name: nginx
+              image: nignx:latest
+apiVersion: kustomize.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
+kind: Kustomization
+`)
+	fSys := filesys.MakeFsInMemory()
+	testutils_test.WriteTestKustomizationWith(fSys, kustomizationContentWithOutdatedPatchesFieldTitle)
+	cmd := NewCmdFix(fSys, os.Stdout)
+	assert.NoError(t, cmd.RunE(cmd, nil))
+
+	content, err := testutils_test.ReadTestKustomization(fSys)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, string(content), "apiVersion: ")
+	assert.Contains(t, string(content), "kind: Kustomization")
+
+	if diff := cmp.Diff(expected, content); diff != "" {
+		t.Errorf("Mismatch (-expected, +actual):\n%s", diff)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFixOutdatedCommonLabels(t *testing.T) {
 	kustomizationContentWithOutdatedCommonLabels := []byte(`
 commonLabels: