diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/k8s-support-kubernetes-v12.yml b/changelogs/fragments/k8s-support-kubernetes-v12.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ae6d03c60f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/k8s-support-kubernetes-v12.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - k8s - add support for python-kubernetes v12 and later - backport of
+    support in community.kubernetes
diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/k8s/common.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/k8s/common.py
index eccef99066b..9ae32828edd 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/k8s/common.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/k8s/common.py
@@ -188,7 +188,12 @@ class K8sAnsibleMixin(object):
                 kubernetes.config.load_kube_config(auth.get('kubeconfig'), auth.get('context'))
 
         # Override any values in the default configuration with Ansible parameters
-        configuration = kubernetes.client.Configuration()
+        # As of kubernetes-client v12.0.0, get_default_copy() is required here
+        try:
+            configuration = kubernetes.client.Configuration().get_default_copy()
+        except AttributeError:
+            configuration = kubernetes.client.Configuration()
+
         for key, value in iteritems(auth):
             if key in AUTH_ARG_MAP.keys() and value is not None:
                 if key == 'api_key':
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/basic_validation.yml b/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/basic_validation.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5a42b352091
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/basic_validation.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+
+# just test that authentication works
+- name: Ensure testing1 namespace exists
+  k8s:
+    api_version: v1
+    kind: Namespace
+    name: testing1
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/main.yml
index bb11bbc6862..60c0850acb8 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/k8s/tasks/main.yml
@@ -65,6 +65,40 @@
     recreate_crd_default_merge_expectation: recreate_crd is failed
     playbook_namespace: ansible-test-k8s-older-openshift
 
+- file:
+    path: "{{ virtualenv }}"
+    state: absent
+  no_log: yes
+
+# Test works with kubernetes==11.* and kubernetes>11
+
+- pip:
+    name:
+      - openshift
+      - kubernetes==11.*
+      - coverage
+    virtualenv: "{{ virtualenv }}"
+    virtualenv_command: "{{ virtualenv_command }}"
+    virtualenv_site_packages: no
+
+- include_tasks: basic_validation.yml
+
+- file:
+    path: "{{ virtualenv }}"
+    state: absent
+  no_log: yes
+
+- pip:
+    name:
+      - openshift
+      - kubernetes>11
+      - coverage
+    virtualenv: "{{ virtualenv }}"
+    virtualenv_command: "{{ virtualenv_command }}"
+    virtualenv_site_packages: no
+
+- include_tasks: basic_validation.yml
+
 - file:
     path: "{{ virtualenv }}"
     state: absent