diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
index 885b824eeb6ac..339bc965e5081 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/set/set_image.go
@@ -34,21 +34,22 @@ import (
 // ImageOptions is the start of the data required to perform the operation.  As new fields are added, add them here instead of
 // referencing the cmd.Flags()
 type ImageOptions struct {
-	Mapper      meta.RESTMapper
-	Typer       runtime.ObjectTyper
-	Infos       []*resource.Info
-	Encoder     runtime.Encoder
-	Selector    string
-	Out         io.Writer
-	Err         io.Writer
-	Filenames   []string
-	Recursive   bool
-	ShortOutput bool
-	All         bool
-	Record      bool
-	ChangeCause string
-	Local       bool
-	Cmd         *cobra.Command
+	Mapper       meta.RESTMapper
+	Typer        runtime.ObjectTyper
+	Infos        []*resource.Info
+	Encoder      runtime.Encoder
+	Selector     string
+	Out          io.Writer
+	Err          io.Writer
+	Filenames    []string
+	Recursive    bool
+	ShortOutput  bool
+	All          bool
+	Record       bool
+	ChangeCause  string
+	Local        bool
+	ResolveImage func(in string) (string, error)
+	Cmd          *cobra.Command
 
 	PrintObject            func(cmd *cobra.Command, mapper meta.RESTMapper, obj runtime.Object, out io.Writer) error
 	UpdatePodSpecForObject func(obj runtime.Object, fn func(*api.PodSpec) error) (bool, error)
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ var (
 		# Update image of all containers of daemonset abc to 'nginx:1.9.1'
 		kubectl set image daemonset abc *=nginx:1.9.1
 
-		# Print result (in yaml format) of updating nginx container image from local file, without hitting the server 
+		# Print result (in yaml format) of updating nginx container image from local file, without hitting the server
 		kubectl set image -f path/to/file.yaml nginx=nginx:1.9.1 --local -o yaml`)
 )
 
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ func (o *ImageOptions) Complete(f *cmdutil.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []s
 	o.Record = cmdutil.GetRecordFlag(cmd)
 	o.ChangeCause = f.Command()
 	o.PrintObject = f.PrintObject
+	o.ResolveImage = f.ResolveImage
 	o.Cmd = cmd
 
 	cmdNamespace, enforceNamespace, err := f.DefaultNamespace()
@@ -165,12 +167,22 @@ func (o *ImageOptions) Run() error {
 		transformed := false
 		_, err := o.UpdatePodSpecForObject(info.Object, func(spec *api.PodSpec) error {
 			for name, image := range o.ContainerImages {
-				containerFound := false
+				var (
+					containerFound bool
+					err            error
+					resolved       string
+				)
 				// Find the container to update, and update its image
 				for i, c := range spec.Containers {
 					if c.Name == name || name == "*" {
-						spec.Containers[i].Image = image
 						containerFound = true
+						if len(resolved) == 0 {
+							if resolved, err = o.ResolveImage(image); err != nil {
+								allErrs = append(allErrs, fmt.Errorf("error: unable to resolve image %q for container %q: %v", image, name, err))
+								continue
+							}
+						}
+						spec.Containers[i].Image = resolved
 						// Perform updates
 						transformed = true
 					}
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
index f603e46fbdd6b..f26b41876c9bd 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/util/factory.go
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ type Factory struct {
 	PauseObject func(object runtime.Object) (bool, error)
 	// ResumeObject resumes a paused object ie. it will be reconciled by its controller.
 	ResumeObject func(object runtime.Object) (bool, error)
+	// ResolveImage resolves the image names. For kubernetes this function is just
+	// passthrough but it allows to perform more sophisticated image name resolving for
+	// third-party vendors.
+	ResolveImage func(imageName string) (string, error)
 	// Returns a schema that can validate objects stored on disk.
 	Validator func(validate bool, cacheDir string) (validation.Schema, error)
 	// SwaggerSchema returns the schema declaration for the provided group version kind.
@@ -671,6 +675,9 @@ func NewFactory(optionalClientConfig clientcmd.ClientConfig) *Factory {
 				return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot resume %v", gvks[0])
 			}
 		},
+		ResolveImage: func(imageName string) (string, error) {
+			return imageName, nil
+		},
 		Scaler: func(mapping *meta.RESTMapping) (kubectl.Scaler, error) {
 			mappingVersion := mapping.GroupVersionKind.GroupVersion()
 			client, err := clients.ClientForVersion(&mappingVersion)