diff --git a/sunbeam/cli.py b/sunbeam/cli.py
index 4376d1b..65c183b 100644
--- a/sunbeam/cli.py
+++ b/sunbeam/cli.py
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ def main() -> None:
     # sunbeam bootstrap
     sub.add_parser("bootstrap", help="Create Gitea orgs/repos; set up Lima registry")
 
+    # sunbeam k8s [kubectl args...] — transparent kubectl --context=sunbeam wrapper
+    p_k8s = sub.add_parser("k8s", help="kubectl --context=sunbeam passthrough")
+    p_k8s.add_argument("kubectl_args", nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
+                       help="arguments forwarded verbatim to kubectl")
+
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if args.verb is None:
@@ -123,6 +128,10 @@ def main() -> None:
         from sunbeam.gitea import cmd_bootstrap
         cmd_bootstrap()
 
+    elif args.verb == "k8s":
+        from sunbeam.kube import cmd_k8s
+        sys.exit(cmd_k8s(args.kubectl_args))
+
     else:
         parser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/sunbeam/kube.py b/sunbeam/kube.py
index 0fc252b..4991340 100644
--- a/sunbeam/kube.py
+++ b/sunbeam/kube.py
@@ -93,11 +93,13 @@ def create_secret(ns: str, name: str, **literals) -> None:
              "--field-manager=sunbeam", "-f", "-", input=manifest)
 
 
-def kube_exec(ns: str, pod: str, *cmd: str) -> tuple[int, str]:
+def kube_exec(ns: str, pod: str, *cmd: str, container: str | None = None) -> tuple[int, str]:
     """Run a command inside a pod. Returns (returncode, stdout)."""
-    r = run_tool("kubectl", "--context=sunbeam", "exec", "-n", ns, pod,
-                 "--", *cmd,
-                 capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
+    args = ["kubectl", "--context=sunbeam", "exec", "-n", ns, pod]
+    if container:
+        args += ["-c", container]
+    args += ["--", *cmd]
+    r = run_tool(*args, capture_output=True, text=True, check=False)
     return r.returncode, r.stdout.strip()
 
 
@@ -115,6 +117,15 @@ def get_domain() -> str:
     return f"{ip}.sslip.io"
 
 
+def cmd_k8s(kubectl_args: list[str]) -> int:
+    """Transparent kubectl --context=sunbeam passthrough. Returns kubectl's exit code."""
+    from sunbeam.tools import ensure_tool
+    import os
+    bin_path = ensure_tool("kubectl")
+    r = subprocess.run([str(bin_path), "--context=sunbeam", *kubectl_args])
+    return r.returncode
+
+
 def kustomize_build(overlay: Path, domain: str) -> str:
     """Run kustomize build --enable-helm and apply domain substitution."""
     r = run_tool(