diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset.go
index d2ef769fc..914db5d54 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdset.go
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ func NewSetRunner(parent string) *SetRunner {
 	}
 	fixDocs(parent, c)
 	r.Command = c
+	c.Flags().StringVar(&r.Perform.SetBy, "set-by", "",
+		"annotate the field with who set it")
+	c.Flags().StringVar(&r.Perform.Description, "description", "",
+		"annotate the field with a description of its value")
 
 	return r
 }
diff --git a/kyaml/setters/dokio.go b/kyaml/setters/dokio.go
index 32b9a8f9d..47f808ad4 100644
--- a/kyaml/setters/dokio.go
+++ b/kyaml/setters/dokio.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ func (s *PerformSetters) Filter(input []*yaml.RNode) ([]*yaml.RNode, error) {
 			Name:        s.Name,
 			Value:       s.Value,
 			Description: s.Description,
+			SetBy:       s.SetBy,
 		}
 		if err := input[i].PipeE(p); err != nil {
 			return nil, err