diff --git a/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec.go b/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec.go
index d728e9ebc..09bd2e2dd 100644
--- a/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec.go
+++ b/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/internal/utils"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/types"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/errors"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/resid"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -45,8 +46,8 @@ type Filter struct {
 
 func (fltr Filter) Filter(obj *yaml.RNode) (*yaml.RNode, error) {
 	// check if the FieldSpec applies to the object
-	if match, err := isMatchGVK(fltr.FieldSpec, obj); !match || err != nil {
-		return obj, errors.Wrap(err)
+	if match := isMatchGVK(fltr.FieldSpec, obj); !match {
+		return obj, nil
 	}
 	fltr.path = utils.PathSplitter(fltr.FieldSpec.Path)
 	err := fltr.filter(obj)
@@ -158,28 +159,24 @@ func isSequenceField(name string) (string, bool) {
 }
 
 // isMatchGVK returns true if the fs.GVK matches the obj GVK.
-func isMatchGVK(fs types.FieldSpec, obj *yaml.RNode) (bool, error) {
-	meta, err := obj.GetMeta()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-	if fs.Kind != "" && fs.Kind != meta.Kind {
+func isMatchGVK(fs types.FieldSpec, obj *yaml.RNode) bool {
+	if kind := obj.GetKind(); fs.Kind != "" && fs.Kind != kind {
 		// kind doesn't match
-		return false, err
+		return false
 	}
 
 	// parse the group and version from the apiVersion field
-	group, version := parseGV(meta.APIVersion)
+	group, version := resid.ParseGroupVersion(obj.GetApiVersion())
 
 	if fs.Group != "" && fs.Group != group {
 		// group doesn't match
-		return false, nil
+		return false
 	}
 
 	if fs.Version != "" && fs.Version != version {
 		// version doesn't match
-		return false, nil
+		return false
 	}
 
-	return true, nil
+	return true
 }
diff --git a/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec_test.go b/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec_test.go
index cefc5b9be..d416191b5 100644
--- a/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec_test.go
+++ b/api/filters/fieldspec/fieldspec_test.go
@@ -46,10 +46,11 @@ xxx:
 		"empty path": {
 			fieldSpec: `
 group: foo
+version: v1
 kind: Bar
 `,
 			input: `
-apiVersion: foo
+apiVersion: foo/v1
 kind: Bar
 xxx:
 `,
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ kind: Bar
 xxx:
 `,
 			error: `considering field '' of object
-apiVersion: foo
+apiVersion: foo/v1
 kind: Bar
 xxx:
 : cannot set or create an empty field name`,
@@ -195,11 +196,14 @@ kind: Bar
 			input: `
 a:
   b: c
+`,
+			expected: `
+a:
+  b: c
 `,
 			filter: fieldspec.Filter{
 				SetValue: filtersutil.SetScalar("e"),
 			},
-			error: "missing Resource metadata",
 		},
 
 		"miss-match-type": {
diff --git a/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk.go b/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk.go
deleted file mode 100644
index badd8eb0b..000000000
--- a/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,49 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-package fieldspec
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/resid"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/yaml"
-)
-
-// Return true for 'v' followed by a 1 or 2, and don't look at rest.
-// I.e. 'v1', 'v1beta1', 'v2', would return true.
-func looksLikeACoreApiVersion(s string) bool {
-	if len(s) < 2 {
-		return false
-	}
-	if s[0:1] != "v" {
-		return false
-	}
-	return s[1:2] == "1" || s[1:2] == "2"
-}
-
-// parseGV parses apiVersion field into group and version.
-func parseGV(apiVersion string) (group, version string) {
-	// parse the group and version from the apiVersion field
-	parts := strings.SplitN(apiVersion, "/", 2)
-	group = parts[0]
-	if len(parts) > 1 {
-		version = parts[1]
-	}
-	// Special case the original "apiVersion" of what
-	// we now call the "core" (empty) group.
-	if version == "" && looksLikeACoreApiVersion(group) {
-		version = group
-		group = ""
-	}
-	return
-}
-
-// GetGVK parses the metadata into a GVK
-func GetGVK(meta yaml.ResourceMeta) resid.Gvk {
-	group, version := parseGV(meta.APIVersion)
-	return resid.Gvk{
-		Group:   group,
-		Version: version,
-		Kind:    meta.Kind,
-	}
-}
diff --git a/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk_test.go b/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index cda85612b..000000000
--- a/api/filters/fieldspec/gvk_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,156 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-package fieldspec
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/resid"
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/yaml"
-)
-
-func TestParseGV(t *testing.T) {
-	testCases := map[string]struct {
-		input           string
-		expectedGroup   string
-		expectedVersion string
-	}{
-		"empty": {
-			input:           "",
-			expectedGroup:   "",
-			expectedVersion: "",
-		},
-		"certSigning": {
-			input:           "certificates.k8s.io/v1beta1",
-			expectedGroup:   "certificates.k8s.io",
-			expectedVersion: "v1beta1",
-		},
-		"extensions": {
-			input:           "extensions/v1beta1",
-			expectedGroup:   "extensions",
-			expectedVersion: "v1beta1",
-		},
-		"normal": {
-			input:           "apps/v1",
-			expectedGroup:   "apps",
-			expectedVersion: "v1",
-		},
-		"justApps": {
-			input:           "apps",
-			expectedGroup:   "apps",
-			expectedVersion: "",
-		},
-		"coreV1": {
-			input:           "v1",
-			expectedGroup:   "",
-			expectedVersion: "v1",
-		},
-		"coreV2": {
-			input:           "v2",
-			expectedGroup:   "",
-			expectedVersion: "v2",
-		},
-		"coreV2Beta1": {
-			input:           "v2beta1",
-			expectedGroup:   "",
-			expectedVersion: "v2beta1",
-		},
-	}
-
-	for tn, tc := range testCases {
-		t.Run(tn, func(t *testing.T) {
-			group, version := parseGV(tc.input)
-			if !assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedGroup, group) {
-				t.FailNow()
-			}
-			if !assert.Equal(t, tc.expectedVersion, version) {
-				t.FailNow()
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-func TestGetGVK(t *testing.T) {
-	testCases := map[string]struct {
-		input      string
-		expected   resid.Gvk
-		parseError string
-		metaError  string
-	}{
-		"empty": {
-			input: `
-`,
-			parseError: "EOF",
-		},
-		"junk": {
-			input: `
-congress: effective
-`,
-			metaError: "missing Resource metadata",
-		},
-		"normal": {
-			input: `
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-kind: Deployment
-`,
-			expected: resid.Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: "Deployment"},
-		},
-		"apiVersionOnlyWithSlash": {
-			input: `
-apiVersion: apps/v1
-`,
-			expected: resid.Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: ""},
-		},
-		"apiVersionOnlyNoSlash1": {
-			input: `
-apiVersion: apps
-`,
-			expected: resid.Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "", Kind: ""},
-		},
-		"apiVersionOnlyNoSlash2": {
-			input: `
-apiVersion: v1
-`,
-			expected: resid.Gvk{Group: "", Version: "v1", Kind: ""},
-		},
-	}
-
-	for tn, tc := range testCases {
-		t.Run(tn, func(t *testing.T) {
-			obj, err := yaml.Parse(tc.input)
-			if len(tc.parseError) != 0 {
-				if err == nil {
-					t.Error("expected parse error")
-					return
-				}
-				if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), tc.parseError) {
-					t.Errorf("expected parse err '%s', got '%v'", tc.parseError, err)
-				}
-				return
-			}
-			if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
-				t.FailNow()
-			}
-			meta, err := obj.GetMeta()
-			if len(tc.metaError) != 0 {
-				if err == nil {
-					t.Error("expected meta error")
-					return
-				}
-				if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), tc.metaError) {
-					t.Errorf("expected meta err '%s', got '%v'", tc.metaError, err)
-				}
-				return
-			}
-			if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
-				t.FailNow()
-			}
-			gvk := GetGVK(meta)
-			if !assert.Equal(t, tc.expected, gvk) {
-				t.FailNow()
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
diff --git a/api/filters/nameref/nameref.go b/api/filters/nameref/nameref.go
index fa2372780..247c94dd8 100644
--- a/api/filters/nameref/nameref.go
+++ b/api/filters/nameref/nameref.go
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ func previousIdSelectedByGvk(gvk *resid.Gvk) sieveFunc {
 
 // If the we are updating a 'roleRef/name' field, the 'apiGroup' and 'kind'
 // fields in the same 'roleRef' map must be considered.
-// If either object is cluster-scoped (!IsNamespaceableKind), there
-// can be a referral.
+// If either object is cluster-scoped, there can be a referral.
 // E.g. a RoleBinding (which exists in a namespace) can refer
 // to a ClusterRole (cluster-scoped) object.
 // https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/rbac/#role-and-clusterrole
@@ -285,12 +284,12 @@ func prefixSuffixEquals(other resource.ResCtx) sieveFunc {
 
 func (f Filter) sameCurrentNamespaceAsReferrer() sieveFunc {
 	referrerCurId := f.Referrer.CurId()
-	if !referrerCurId.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+	if referrerCurId.IsClusterScoped() {
 		// If the referrer is cluster-scoped, let anything through.
 		return acceptAll
 	}
 	return func(r *resource.Resource) bool {
-		if !r.CurId().IsNamespaceableKind() {
+		if r.CurId().IsClusterScoped() {
 			// Allow cluster-scoped through.
 			return true
 		}
diff --git a/api/filters/namespace/namespace.go b/api/filters/namespace/namespace.go
index 69458e198..e554600bc 100644
--- a/api/filters/namespace/namespace.go
+++ b/api/filters/namespace/namespace.go
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
 package namespace
 
 import (
-	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/filters/fieldspec"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/filters/filtersutil"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/filters/fsslice"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/api/types"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/kio"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/resid"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/yaml"
 )
 
@@ -54,16 +54,11 @@ func (ns Filter) run(node *yaml.RNode) (*yaml.RNode, error) {
 // hacks applies the namespace transforms that are hardcoded rather
 // than specified through FieldSpecs.
 func (ns Filter) hacks(obj *yaml.RNode) error {
-	meta, err := obj.GetMeta()
-	if err != nil {
+	gvk := resid.GvkFromNode(obj)
+	if err := ns.metaNamespaceHack(obj, gvk); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
-	if err := ns.metaNamespaceHack(obj, meta); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return ns.roleBindingHack(obj, meta)
+	return ns.roleBindingHack(obj, gvk)
 }
 
 // metaNamespaceHack is a hack for implementing the namespace transform
@@ -74,9 +69,8 @@ func (ns Filter) hacks(obj *yaml.RNode) error {
 // This hack should be updated to allow individual resources to specify
 // if they are cluster scoped through either an annotation on the resources,
 // or through inlined OpenAPI on the resource as a YAML comment.
-func (ns Filter) metaNamespaceHack(obj *yaml.RNode, meta yaml.ResourceMeta) error {
-	gvk := fieldspec.GetGVK(meta)
-	if !gvk.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+func (ns Filter) metaNamespaceHack(obj *yaml.RNode, gvk resid.Gvk) error {
+	if gvk.IsClusterScoped() {
 		return nil
 	}
 	f := fsslice.Filter{
@@ -104,8 +98,8 @@ func (ns Filter) metaNamespaceHack(obj *yaml.RNode, meta yaml.ResourceMeta) erro
 //   ...
 // - name: "something-else" # this will not have the namespace set
 //   ...
-func (ns Filter) roleBindingHack(obj *yaml.RNode, meta yaml.ResourceMeta) error {
-	if meta.Kind != roleBindingKind && meta.Kind != clusterRoleBindingKind {
+func (ns Filter) roleBindingHack(obj *yaml.RNode, gvk resid.Gvk) error {
+	if gvk.Kind != roleBindingKind && gvk.Kind != clusterRoleBindingKind {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/api/internal/accumulator/namereferencetransformer_test.go b/api/internal/accumulator/namereferencetransformer_test.go
index 707f602d2..39fa9b037 100644
--- a/api/internal/accumulator/namereferencetransformer_test.go
+++ b/api/internal/accumulator/namereferencetransformer_test.go
@@ -885,9 +885,9 @@ func TestNameReferenceClusterWide(t *testing.T) {
 			}).ResMap()
 
 	clusterRoleId := resid.NewResId(
-		resid.Gvk{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRole"}, modifiedname)
+		resid.NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRole"), modifiedname)
 	clusterRoleBindingId := resid.NewResId(
-		resid.Gvk{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRoleBinding"}, modifiedname)
+		resid.NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRoleBinding"), modifiedname)
 	clusterRole, _ := expected.GetByCurrentId(clusterRoleId)
 	clusterRole.AppendRefBy(clusterRoleBindingId)
 
@@ -1012,9 +1012,11 @@ func TestNameReferenceNamespaceTransformation(t *testing.T) {
 			}).ResMap()
 
 	clusterRoleId := resid.NewResId(
-		resid.Gvk{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRole"}, modifiedname)
+		resid.NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRole"),
+		modifiedname)
 	clusterRoleBindingId := resid.NewResId(
-		resid.Gvk{Group: "rbac.authorization.k8s.io", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRoleBinding"}, modifiedname)
+		resid.NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRoleBinding"),
+		modifiedname)
 	clusterRole, _ := expected.GetByCurrentId(clusterRoleId)
 	clusterRole.AppendRefBy(clusterRoleBindingId)
 
diff --git a/api/internal/accumulator/resaccumulator.go b/api/internal/accumulator/resaccumulator.go
index bac5e1fee..1c9b11575 100644
--- a/api/internal/accumulator/resaccumulator.go
+++ b/api/internal/accumulator/resaccumulator.go
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (ra *ResAccumulator) MergeVars(incoming []types.Var) error {
 	for _, v := range incoming {
 		targetId := resid.NewResIdWithNamespace(v.ObjRef.GVK(), v.ObjRef.Name, v.ObjRef.Namespace)
 		idMatcher := targetId.GvknEquals
-		if targetId.Namespace != "" || !targetId.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+		if targetId.Namespace != "" || targetId.IsClusterScoped() {
 			// Preserve backward compatibility. An empty namespace means
 			// wildcard search on the namespace hence we still use GvknEquals
 			idMatcher = targetId.Equals
diff --git a/api/resmap/resmap.go b/api/resmap/resmap.go
index 19879550d..766dbb1de 100644
--- a/api/resmap/resmap.go
+++ b/api/resmap/resmap.go
@@ -168,8 +168,7 @@ type ResMap interface {
 
 	// GroupedByCurrentNamespace returns a map of namespace
 	// to a slice of *Resource in that namespace.
-	// Resources for whom IsNamespaceableKind is false are
-	// are not included at all (see NonNamespaceable).
+	// Cluster-scoped Resources are not included (see ClusterScoped).
 	// Resources with an empty namespace are placed
 	// in the resid.DefaultNamespace entry.
 	GroupedByCurrentNamespace() map[string][]*resource.Resource
@@ -179,10 +178,10 @@ type ResMap interface {
 	// one to perform the grouping.
 	GroupedByOriginalNamespace() map[string][]*resource.Resource
 
-	// NonNamespaceable returns a slice of resources that
+	// ClusterScoped returns a slice of resources that
 	// cannot be placed in a namespace, e.g.
 	// Node, ClusterRole, Namespace itself, etc.
-	NonNamespaceable() []*resource.Resource
+	ClusterScoped() []*resource.Resource
 
 	// AllIds returns all CurrentIds.
 	AllIds() []resid.ResId
diff --git a/api/resmap/reswrangler.go b/api/resmap/reswrangler.go
index 7dbf92565..17ed49ca9 100644
--- a/api/resmap/reswrangler.go
+++ b/api/resmap/reswrangler.go
@@ -238,8 +238,8 @@ func (m *resWrangler) GroupedByCurrentNamespace() map[string][]*resource.Resourc
 	return items
 }
 
-// NonNamespaceable implements ResMap.NonNamespaceable
-func (m *resWrangler) NonNamespaceable() []*resource.Resource {
+// ClusterScoped implements ResMap.ClusterScoped
+func (m *resWrangler) ClusterScoped() []*resource.Resource {
 	return m.groupedByCurrentNamespace()[resid.TotallyNotANamespace]
 }
 
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func (m *resWrangler) makeCopy(copier resCopier) ResMap {
 func (m *resWrangler) SubsetThatCouldBeReferencedByResource(
 	referrer *resource.Resource) ResMap {
 	referrerId := referrer.CurId()
-	if !referrerId.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+	if referrerId.IsClusterScoped() {
 		// A cluster scoped resource can refer to anything.
 		return m
 	}
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ func (m *resWrangler) SubsetThatCouldBeReferencedByResource(
 	roleBindingNamespaces := getNamespacesForRoleBinding(referrer)
 	for _, possibleTarget := range m.rList {
 		id := possibleTarget.CurId()
-		if !id.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+		if id.IsClusterScoped() {
 			// A cluster-scoped resource can be referred to by anything.
 			result.append(possibleTarget)
 			continue
diff --git a/api/resmap/reswrangler_test.go b/api/resmap/reswrangler_test.go
index 41fc238be..1e038b3d1 100644
--- a/api/resmap/reswrangler_test.go
+++ b/api/resmap/reswrangler_test.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ metadata:
 }
 
 func TestGetMatchingResourcesByCurrentId(t *testing.T) {
-	cmap := resid.Gvk{Version: "v1", Kind: "ConfigMap"}
+	cmap := resid.NewGvk("", "v1", "ConfigMap")
 
 	r1 := rf.FromMap(
 		map[string]interface{}{
diff --git a/api/resource/resource.go b/api/resource/resource.go
index b3807507b..456c274d1 100644
--- a/api/resource/resource.go
+++ b/api/resource/resource.go
@@ -87,12 +87,7 @@ func (r *Resource) GetBinaryDataMap() map[string]string {
 }
 
 func (r *Resource) GetGvk() resid.Gvk {
-	meta, err := r.node.GetMeta()
-	if err != nil {
-		return resid.GvkFromString("")
-	}
-	g, v := resid.ParseGroupVersion(meta.APIVersion)
-	return resid.Gvk{Group: g, Version: v, Kind: meta.Kind}
+	return resid.GvkFromNode(r.node)
 }
 
 func (r *Resource) Hash(h ifc.KustHasher) (string, error) {
diff --git a/api/resource/resource_test.go b/api/resource/resource_test.go
index 6640039ab..05a483aca 100644
--- a/api/resource/resource_test.go
+++ b/api/resource/resource_test.go
@@ -87,11 +87,13 @@ func TestResourceId(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			in: testConfigMap,
 			id: resid.NewResIdWithNamespace(
-				resid.Gvk{Version: "v1", Kind: "ConfigMap"}, "winnie", "hundred-acre-wood"),
+				resid.NewGvk("", "v1", "ConfigMap"),
+				"winnie", "hundred-acre-wood"),
 		},
 		{
 			in: testDeployment,
-			id: resid.NewResId(resid.Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: "Deployment"}, "pooh"),
+			id: resid.NewResId(
+				resid.NewGvk("apps", "v1", "Deployment"), "pooh"),
 		},
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
diff --git a/kustomize/commands/build/writer.go b/kustomize/commands/build/writer.go
index 89e4c2201..44a2e4ebb 100644
--- a/kustomize/commands/build/writer.go
+++ b/kustomize/commands/build/writer.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func (w Writer) WriteIndividualFiles(dirPath string, m resmap.ResMap) error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	for _, res := range m.NonNamespaceable() {
+	for _, res := range m.ClusterScoped() {
 		err := w.write(dirPath, fileName(res), res)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go b/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
index 4bb3e379a..5e34195f6 100644
--- a/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
+++ b/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
@@ -273,6 +273,15 @@ func IsNamespaceScoped(typeMeta yaml.TypeMeta) (bool, bool) {
 	return isNamespaceScoped, found
 }
 
+// IsCertainlyClusterScoped returns true for Node, Namespace, etc. and
+// false for Pod, Deployment, etc. and kinds that aren't recognized in the
+// openapi data. See:
+// https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/namespaces
+func IsCertainlyClusterScoped(typeMeta yaml.TypeMeta) bool {
+	nsScoped, found := IsNamespaceScoped(typeMeta)
+	return found && !nsScoped
+}
+
 // SuppressBuiltInSchemaUse can be called to prevent using the built-in Kubernetes
 // schema as part of the global schema.
 // Must be called before the schema is used.
diff --git a/kyaml/resid/gvk.go b/kyaml/resid/gvk.go
index b112151d3..21dad78d3 100644
--- a/kyaml/resid/gvk.go
+++ b/kyaml/resid/gvk.go
@@ -16,13 +16,26 @@ type Gvk struct {
 	Group   string `json:"group,omitempty" yaml:"group,omitempty"`
 	Version string `json:"version,omitempty" yaml:"version,omitempty"`
 	Kind    string `json:"kind,omitempty" yaml:"kind,omitempty"`
+	// isClusterScoped is true if the object is known, per the openapi
+	// data in use, to be cluster scoped, and false otherwise.
+	isClusterScoped bool
+}
+
+func NewGvk(g, v, k string) Gvk {
+	result := Gvk{Group: g, Version: v, Kind: k}
+	result.isClusterScoped =
+		openapi.IsCertainlyClusterScoped(result.AsTypeMeta())
+	return result
+}
+
+func GvkFromNode(r *yaml.RNode) Gvk {
+	g, v := ParseGroupVersion(r.GetApiVersion())
+	return NewGvk(g, v, r.GetKind())
 }
 
 // FromKind makes a Gvk with only the kind specified.
 func FromKind(k string) Gvk {
-	return Gvk{
-		Kind: k,
-	}
+	return NewGvk("", "", k)
 }
 
 // ParseGroupVersion parses a KRM metadata apiVersion field.
@@ -56,11 +69,7 @@ func GvkFromString(s string) Gvk {
 	if k == noKind {
 		k = ""
 	}
-	return Gvk{
-		Group:   g,
-		Version: v,
-		Kind:    k,
-	}
+	return NewGvk(g, v, k)
 }
 
 // Values that are brief but meaningful in logs.
@@ -90,10 +99,13 @@ func (x Gvk) String() string {
 
 // ApiVersion returns the combination of Group and Version
 func (x Gvk) ApiVersion() string {
-	if x.Group == "" {
-		return x.Version
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	if x.Group != "" {
+		sb.WriteString(x.Group)
+		sb.WriteString("/")
 	}
-	return x.Group + "/" + x.Version
+	sb.WriteString(x.Version)
+	return sb.String()
 }
 
 // StringWoEmptyField returns a string representation of the GVK. Non-exist
@@ -207,26 +219,16 @@ func (x Gvk) IsSelected(selector *Gvk) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-// toKyamlTypeMeta returns a yaml.TypeMeta from x's information.
-func (x Gvk) toKyamlTypeMeta() yaml.TypeMeta {
-	var apiVersion strings.Builder
-	if x.Group != "" {
-		apiVersion.WriteString(x.Group)
-		apiVersion.WriteString("/")
-	}
-	apiVersion.WriteString(x.Version)
+// AsTypeMeta returns a yaml.TypeMeta from x's information.
+func (x Gvk) AsTypeMeta() yaml.TypeMeta {
 	return yaml.TypeMeta{
-		APIVersion: apiVersion.String(),
+		APIVersion: x.ApiVersion(),
 		Kind:       x.Kind,
 	}
 }
 
-// IsNamespaceableKind returns true if x is a namespaceable Gvk,
-// e.g. instances of Pod and Deployment are namespaceable,
-// but instances of Node and Namespace are not namespaceable.
-// Alternative name for this method: IsNotClusterScoped.
-// Implements https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/namespaces/#not-all-objects-are-in-a-namespace
-func (x Gvk) IsNamespaceableKind() bool {
-	isNamespaceScoped, found := openapi.IsNamespaceScoped(x.toKyamlTypeMeta())
-	return !found || isNamespaceScoped
+// IsClusterScoped returns true if the Gvk is certainly cluster scoped
+// with respect to the available openapi data.
+func (x Gvk) IsClusterScoped() bool {
+	return x.isClusterScoped
 }
diff --git a/kyaml/resid/gvk_test.go b/kyaml/resid/gvk_test.go
index 790cc087e..cb3b9fadd 100644
--- a/kyaml/resid/gvk_test.go
+++ b/kyaml/resid/gvk_test.go
@@ -259,30 +259,45 @@ func TestSelectByGVK(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestIsNamespaceableKind(t *testing.T) {
+func TestIsClusterScoped(t *testing.T) {
 	testCases := []struct {
-		name     string
-		gvk      Gvk
-		expected bool
+		name            string
+		gvk             Gvk
+		isClusterScoped bool
 	}{
 		{
-			"namespaceable resource",
-			Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: "Deployment"},
-			true,
-		},
-		{
-			"clusterscoped resource",
-			Gvk{Group: "", Version: "v1", Kind: "Namespace"},
+			"deployment is namespaceable",
+			NewGvk("apps", "v1", "Deployment"),
 			false,
 		},
 		{
-			"unknown resource (should default to namespaceable)",
-			Gvk{Group: "example1.com", Version: "v1", Kind: "Bar"},
+			"clusterscoped resource",
+			NewGvk("", "v1", "Namespace"),
 			true,
 		},
 		{
 			"unknown resource (should default to namespaceable)",
-			Gvk{Group: "apps", Version: "v1", Kind: "ClusterRoleBinding"},
+			NewGvk("example1.com", "v1", "BoatyMcBoatface"),
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			"node is cluster scoped",
+			NewGvk("", "v1", "Node"),
+			true,
+		},
+		{
+			"Role is namespace scoped",
+			NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "Role"),
+			false,
+		},
+		{
+			"ClusterRole is cluster scoped",
+			NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRole"),
+			true,
+		},
+		{
+			"ClusterRoleBinding is cluster scoped",
+			NewGvk("rbac.authorization.k8s.io", "v1", "ClusterRoleBinding"),
 			true,
 		},
 	}
@@ -290,8 +305,7 @@ func TestIsNamespaceableKind(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := range testCases {
 		test := testCases[i]
 		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			isNamespaceable := test.gvk.IsNamespaceableKind()
-			assert.Equal(t, test.expected, isNamespaceable)
+			assert.Equal(t, test.isClusterScoped, test.gvk.IsClusterScoped())
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/kyaml/resid/resid.go b/kyaml/resid/resid.go
index 92219c03b..1700531a2 100644
--- a/kyaml/resid/resid.go
+++ b/kyaml/resid/resid.go
@@ -12,13 +12,10 @@ type ResId struct {
 	// Gvk of the resource.
 	Gvk `json:",inline,omitempty" yaml:",inline,omitempty"`
 
-	// Name of the resource before transformation.
+	// Name of the resource.
 	Name string `json:"name,omitempty" yaml:"name,omitempty"`
 
-	// Namespace the resource belongs to.
-	// An untransformed resource has no namespace.
-	// A fully transformed resource has the namespace
-	// from the top most overlay.
+	// Namespace the resource belongs to, if it can belong to a namespace.
 	Namespace string `json:"namespace,omitempty" yaml:"namespace,omitempty"`
 }
 
@@ -30,12 +27,12 @@ func NewResIdWithNamespace(k Gvk, n, ns string) ResId {
 
 // NewResId creates new ResId.
 func NewResId(k Gvk, n string) ResId {
-	return ResId{Gvk: k, Name: n}
+	return NewResIdWithNamespace(k, n, "")
 }
 
 // NewResIdKindOnly creates a new ResId.
 func NewResIdKindOnly(k string, n string) ResId {
-	return ResId{Gvk: FromKind(k), Name: n}
+	return NewResId(FromKind(k), n)
 }
 
 const (
@@ -113,7 +110,7 @@ func (id ResId) IsNsEquals(o ResId) bool {
 // ResId and the Namespace is either not set or set
 // to DefaultNamespace.
 func (id ResId) IsInDefaultNs() bool {
-	return id.IsNamespaceableKind() && id.isPutativelyDefaultNs()
+	return !id.IsClusterScoped() && id.isPutativelyDefaultNs()
 }
 
 func (id ResId) isPutativelyDefaultNs() bool {
@@ -124,7 +121,7 @@ func (id ResId) isPutativelyDefaultNs() bool {
 // namespace for use in reporting and equality tests.
 func (id ResId) EffectiveNamespace() string {
 	// The order of these checks matters.
-	if !id.IsNamespaceableKind() {
+	if id.IsClusterScoped() {
 		return TotallyNotANamespace
 	}
 	if id.isPutativelyDefaultNs() {
diff --git a/kyaml/resid/resid_test.go b/kyaml/resid/resid_test.go
index 908c2bab3..0ad979ce8 100644
--- a/kyaml/resid/resid_test.go
+++ b/kyaml/resid/resid_test.go
@@ -464,42 +464,42 @@ func TestFromString(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestEffectiveNamespace(t *testing.T) {
-	var test = []struct {
+	var testCases = map[string]struct {
 		id       ResId
 		expected string
 	}{
-		{
+		"tst1": {
 			id: ResId{
-				Gvk:  Gvk{Group: "", Version: "v1", Kind: "Node"},
+				Gvk:  NewGvk("", "v1", "Node"),
 				Name: "nm",
 			},
 			expected: TotallyNotANamespace,
 		},
-		{
+		"tst2": {
 			id: ResId{
 				Namespace: "foo",
-				Gvk:       Gvk{Group: "", Version: "v1", Kind: "Node"},
+				Gvk:       NewGvk("", "v1", "Node"),
 				Name:      "nm",
 			},
 			expected: TotallyNotANamespace,
 		},
-		{
+		"tst3": {
 			id: ResId{
 				Namespace: "foo",
-				Gvk:       Gvk{Group: "g", Version: "v", Kind: "k"},
+				Gvk:       NewGvk("g", "v", "k"),
 				Name:      "nm",
 			},
 			expected: "foo",
 		},
-		{
+		"tst4": {
 			id: ResId{
 				Namespace: "",
-				Gvk:       Gvk{Group: "g", Version: "v", Kind: "k"},
+				Gvk:       NewGvk("g", "v", "k"),
 				Name:      "nm",
 			},
 			expected: DefaultNamespace,
 		},
-		{
+		"tst5": {
 			id: ResId{
 				Gvk:  Gvk{Group: "g", Version: "v", Kind: "k"},
 				Name: "nm",
@@ -508,10 +508,12 @@ func TestEffectiveNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	for _, tst := range test {
-		if actual := tst.id.EffectiveNamespace(); actual != tst.expected {
-			t.Fatalf("EffectiveNamespace was %s, expected %s",
-				actual, tst.expected)
-		}
+	for n, tst := range testCases {
+		t.Run(n, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if actual := tst.id.EffectiveNamespace(); actual != tst.expected {
+				t.Fatalf("EffectiveNamespace was %s, expected %s",
+					actual, tst.expected)
+			}
+		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go b/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
index 9b1b5ff1b..c5f258ad6 100644
--- a/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
+++ b/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
@@ -337,13 +337,34 @@ func (rn *RNode) SetYNode(node *yaml.Node) {
 	*rn.value = *node
 }
 
-// GetKind returns the kind.
+// GetKind returns the kind, if it exists, else empty string.
 func (rn *RNode) GetKind() string {
-	node, err := rn.Pipe(FieldMatcher{Name: KindField})
-	if err != nil {
-		return ""
+	if node := rn.getMapFieldValue(KindField); node != nil {
+		return node.Value
 	}
-	return GetValue(node)
+	return ""
+}
+
+// GetApiVersion returns the apiversion, if it exists, else empty string.
+func (rn *RNode) GetApiVersion() string {
+	if node := rn.getMapFieldValue(APIVersionField); node != nil {
+		return node.Value
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// getMapFieldValue returns the value (*yaml.Node) of a mapping field.
+// The value might be nil.  Also, the function returns nil, not an error,
+// if this node is not a mapping node, or if this node does not have the
+// given field, so this function cannot be used to make distinctions
+// between these cases.
+func (rn *RNode) getMapFieldValue(field string) *yaml.Node {
+	for i := 0; i < len(rn.Content()); i = IncrementFieldIndex(i) {
+		if rn.Content()[i].Value == field {
+			return rn.Content()[i+1]
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GetName returns the name.