diff --git a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
index 41321b684df..1e398af9a2c 100644
--- a/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/skaffold/app/cmd/flags.go
@@ -509,6 +509,15 @@ var flagRegistry = []Flag{
 		DefinedOn:     []string{"debug", "dev", "run"},
 		IsEnum:        true,
 	},
+	{
+		Name:          "v3",
+		Usage:         "Next skaffold config (v3). Use kpt to render/hydrate and deploy manifests.",
+		Value:         &opts.Experimental,
+		DefValue:      false,
+		FlagAddMethod: "BoolVar",
+		DefinedOn:     []string{"apply", "debug", "deploy", "dev", "run"},
+		IsEnum:        true,
+	},
 }
 
 func methodNameByType(v reflect.Value) string {
diff --git a/pkg/skaffold/config/options.go b/pkg/skaffold/config/options.go
index af5098c0a8f..4e864497ef2 100644
--- a/pkg/skaffold/config/options.go
+++ b/pkg/skaffold/config/options.go
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ type SkaffoldOptions struct {
 	// label isn't available.
 	AddSkaffoldLabels bool
 	DetectMinikube    bool
+	// Experimental is the entrypoint to run skaffold v3 before it's fully implemented.
+	Experimental bool
 
 	PortForward        PortForwardOptions
 	CustomTag          string