diff --git a/kubernetes/base/dynamic/test_client.py b/kubernetes/base/dynamic/test_client.py
index f0ca26b549..1c9fa6d94c 100644
--- a/kubernetes/base/dynamic/test_client.py
+++ b/kubernetes/base/dynamic/test_client.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 import time
 import unittest
 import uuid
-import json
 
 from kubernetes.e2e_test import base
 from kubernetes.client import api_client
@@ -527,9 +526,8 @@ def test_server_side_apply_api(self):
                             'ports': [{'containerPort': 80,
                                             'protocol': 'TCP'}]}]}}
 
-        body = json.dumps(pod_manifest).encode()
         resp = api.server_side_apply(
-            name=name, namespace='default', body=body,
+            namespace='default', body=pod_manifest,
             field_manager='kubernetes-unittests', dry_run="All")
         self.assertEqual('kubernetes-unittests', resp.metadata.managedFields[0].manager)
 
diff --git a/kubernetes/client/rest.py b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
index f6e476c271..3fc0eb92a3 100644
--- a/kubernetes/client/rest.py
+++ b/kubernetes/client/rest.py
@@ -157,7 +157,8 @@ def request(self, method, url, query_params=None, headers=None,
             if method in ['POST', 'PUT', 'PATCH', 'OPTIONS', 'DELETE']:
                 if query_params:
                     url += '?' + urlencode(query_params)
-                if re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE):
+                if (re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE) or
+                        headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/apply-patch+yaml'):
                     if headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json-patch+json':
                         if not isinstance(body, list):
                             headers['Content-Type'] = \
diff --git a/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff b/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
index b47e6e0a78..2a6c0bca93 100644
--- a/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
+++ b/scripts/rest_client_patch.diff
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ index 65fbe95..e174317 100644
 @@ -152,6 +152,10 @@ class RESTClientObject(object):
                  if query_params:
                      url += '?' + urlencode(query_params)
-                 if re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE):
+-                if re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE):
++                if (re.search('json', headers['Content-Type'], re.IGNORECASE) or
++                        headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/apply-patch+yaml'):
 +                    if headers['Content-Type'] == 'application/json-patch+json':
 +                        if not isinstance(body, list):
 +                            headers['Content-Type'] = \