diff --git a/kyaml/openapi/Makefile b/kyaml/openapi/Makefile
index 3443e076d8a..e09dd027cab 100644
--- a/kyaml/openapi/Makefile
+++ b/kyaml/openapi/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ ifeq ($(MYGOBIN),)
 MYGOBIN = $(shell go env GOPATH)/bin
 endif
 KIND_VERSION := "v0.11.1"
+API_VERSION ?= "v1.21.2"
 
 .PHONY: all
 all: \
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ nuke: clean
 	rm -r kubernetesapi/*
 
 $(MYGOBIN)/go-bindata:
-	go install github.com/go-bindata/go-bindata/v3/go-bindata
+	go install github.com/go-bindata/go-bindata/v3/go-bindata@latest
 
 $(MYGOBIN)/kind:
 	( \
@@ -45,12 +46,12 @@ kustomizationapi/swagger.go: $(MYGOBIN)/go-bindata kustomizationapi/swagger.json
 		-o kustomizationapi/swagger.go \
 		kustomizationapi/swagger.json
 
-.PHONY: kubernetesapi/swagger.json
-kubernetesapi/swagger.json: $(MYGOBIN)/kind $(MYGOBIN)/kustomize
+.PHONY: kubernetesapi/swagger.pb
+kubernetesapi/swagger.pb: $(MYGOBIN)/kind $(MYGOBIN)/kustomize
 	./scripts/fetchSchemaFromCluster.sh $(API_VERSION)
 
 .PHONY: kubernetesapi/swagger.go
-kubernetesapi/swagger.go: $(MYGOBIN)/go-bindata kubernetesapi/swagger.json
+kubernetesapi/swagger.go: $(MYGOBIN)/go-bindata kubernetesapi/swagger.pb
 	./scripts/generateSwaggerDotGo.sh $(API_VERSION)
 
 $(MYGOBIN)/kustomize:
diff --git a/kyaml/openapi/README.md b/kyaml/openapi/README.md
index b6bedab6f10..87a21bd14e4 100644
--- a/kyaml/openapi/README.md
+++ b/kyaml/openapi/README.md
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ make nuke
 
 The compiled-in schema version should maximize API availability with respect to all actively supported Kubernetes versions. For example, while 1.20, 1.21 and 1.22 are the actively supported versions, 1.21 is the best choice. This is because 1.21 introduces at least one new API and does not remove any, while 1.22 removes a large set of long-deprecated APIs that are still supported in 1.20/1.21.
 
-### Update the built-in schema to a new version
+### Generating additional schema
 
-In the Makefile in this directory, update the `API_VERSION` to your desired version.
+If you'd like to change the default schema version, then in the Makefile in this directory, update the `API_VERSION` to your desired version.
 
 You may need to update the version of Kind these scripts use by changing `KIND_VERSION` in the Makefile in this directory. You can find compatibility information in the [kind release notes](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kind/releases).
 
@@ -35,59 +35,72 @@ corresponding swagger.go for the kubernetes api:
 make all
 ```
 
-The above command will update the [OpenAPI schema] and the [Kustomization schema]. It will
-create a directory kubernetesapi/v1212 and store the resulting
-swagger.json and swagger.go files there.
-
-#### Precomputations
+Then, follow the instructions in the next section to make the newly generated schema available for use.
 
-To avoid expensive schema lookups, some functions have precomputed results based on the schema. Unit tests
-ensure these are kept in sync with the schema; if these tests fail you will need to follow the suggested diff
-to update the precomputed results.
+### Updating the builtin versions
 
-### Run all tests
+The above command will update the [OpenAPI schema] and the [Kustomization schema]. It will
+create a directory kubernetesapi/v1_21_2 and store the resulting
+swagger.pb and swagger.go files there. You will then have to manually update
+[`kubernetesapi/openapiinfo.go`](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/blob/master/kyaml/openapi/kubernetesapi/openapiinfo.go).
 
-At the top of the repository, run the tests.
+Here is an example of what it looks like with v1.21.2.
 
 ```
-make prow-presubmit-check >& /tmp/k.txt; echo $?
-```
+package kubernetesapi
 
-The exit code should be zero; if not, examine `/tmp/k.txt`.
+import (
+"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/openapi/kubernetesapi/v1212"
+)
 
-## Generating additional schemas
+const Info = "{title:Kubernetes,version:v1.21.2}"
 
-Instead of replacing the default version, you can specify a desired version as part of the make invocation:
+var OpenAPIMustAsset = map[string]func(string) []byte{
+"v1212": v1212.MustAsset,
+}
 
-```
-rm kubernetesapi/swagger.go
-make kubernetesapi/swagger.go API_VERSION=v1.21.2
+const DefaultOpenAPI = "v1212"
 ```
 
-While the above commands generate the swagger.go files, they
-do not make them available for use nor do they update the
-info field reported by `kustomize openapi info`. To make the
-newly fetched schema and swagger.go available, update the
-file [`kubernetesapi/openapiinfo.go`](https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kustomize/blob/master/kyaml/openapi/kubernetesapi/openapiinfo.go). 
+You need to replace the version number in all five places it appears. If you would like to keep the old version as an option,
+and just update the default, you can append a new version number to all lists and change the default.
 
-Here is an example of what it looks like with v1.21.2. The version number needs to be updated in all five places that it appears:
+Here is an example of both v1.21.2 and v1.21.5 being available to use, but v1.21.5 being the default:
 
 ```
 package kubernetesapi
 
 import (
-  "sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/openapi/kubernetesapi/v1212"
+"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/openapi/kubernetesapi/v1215"
 )
 
-const Info = "{title:Kubernetes,version:v1.21.2}"
+const Info = "{title:Kubernetes,version:v1.21.2},{title:Kubernetes,version:v1.21.5}"
 
 var OpenAPIMustAsset = map[string]func(string) []byte{
 "v1212": v1212.MustAsset,
+"v1215": v1215.MustAsset,
 }
 
-const DefaultOpenAPI = "v1212"
+const DefaultOpenAPI = "v1215"
+```
+
+
+#### Precomputations
+
+To avoid expensive schema lookups, some functions have precomputed results based on the schema. Unit tests
+ensure these are kept in sync with the schema; if these tests fail you will need to follow the suggested diff
+to update the precomputed results.
+
+### Run all tests
+
+At the top of the repository, run the tests.
+
+```
+make prow-presubmit-check >& /tmp/k.txt; echo $?
 ```
 
+The exit code should be zero; if not, examine `/tmp/k.txt`.
+
 ## Partial regeneration
 
 You can also regenerate the kubernetes api schemas specifically with:
@@ -101,8 +114,8 @@ To fetch the schema without generating the swagger.go, you can
 run:
 
 ```
-rm kubernetesapi/swagger.json
-make kubernetesapi/swagger.json
+rm kubernetesapi/swagger.pb
+make kubernetesapi/swagger.pb
 ```
 
 Note that generating the swagger.go will re-fetch the schema.
diff --git a/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go b/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
index 475905b195a..58bf62efac7 100644
--- a/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
+++ b/kyaml/openapi/openapi.go
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func SuppressBuiltInSchemaUse() {
 
 // Elements returns the Schema for the elements of an array.
 func (rs *ResourceSchema) Elements() *ResourceSchema {
-	// load the schema from swagger.json
+	// load the schema from swagger files
 	initSchema()
 
 	if len(rs.Schema.Type) != 1 || rs.Schema.Type[0] != "array" {
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ func (rs *ResourceSchema) Lookup(path ...string) *ResourceSchema {
 
 // Field returns the Schema for a field.
 func (rs *ResourceSchema) Field(field string) *ResourceSchema {
-	// load the schema from swagger.json
+	// load the schema from swagger files
 	initSchema()
 
 	// locate the Schema
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ func (rs *ResourceSchema) Field(field string) *ResourceSchema {
 		// (the key doesn't matter, they all have the same value type)
 		s = *rs.Schema.AdditionalProperties.Schema
 	default:
-		// no Schema found from either swagger.json or line comments
+		// no Schema found from either swagger files or line comments
 		return nil
 	}