diff --git a/kubernetes/config/kube_config.c b/kubernetes/config/kube_config.c
index c32ce1a4..d8732d7b 100644
--- a/kubernetes/config/kube_config.c
+++ b/kubernetes/config/kube_config.c
@@ -394,18 +394,14 @@ int load_kube_config(char **pBasePath, sslConfig_t ** pSslConfig, list_t ** pApi
     static char fname[] = "load_kube_config()";
     int rc = 0;
 
-    kubeconfig_t *kubeconfig = kubeconfig_create();
-    if (!kubeconfig) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: Cannot create kubeconfig.[%s]\n", fname, strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
+    kubeconfig_t kubeconfig;
+    memset(&kubeconfig, 0, sizeof(kubeconfig_t));
 
-    kubeconfig->fileName = getWorkingConfigFile(configFileName);
+    kubeconfig.fileName = getWorkingConfigFile(configFileName);
 
-    rc = load_kube_config_common(pBasePath, pSslConfig, pApiKeys, kubeconfig);
+    rc = load_kube_config_common(pBasePath, pSslConfig, pApiKeys, &kubeconfig);
 
-    kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig);
-    kubeconfig = NULL;
+    kubeconfig_free_members(&kubeconfig);
 
     return rc;
 }
@@ -415,18 +411,14 @@ int load_kube_config_buffer(char **pBasePath, sslConfig_t ** pSslConfig, list_t
     static char fname[] = "load_kube_config_buffer()";
     int rc = 0;
 
-    kubeconfig_t *kubeconfig = kubeconfig_create();
-    if (!kubeconfig) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: Cannot create kubeconfig.[%s]\n", fname, strerror(errno));
-        return -1;
-    }
+    kubeconfig_t kubeconfig;
+    memset(&kubeconfig, 0, sizeof(kubeconfig_t));
 
-    kubeconfig->buffer = strdup(buffer);
+    kubeconfig.buffer = strdup(buffer);
 
-    rc = load_kube_config_common(pBasePath, pSslConfig, pApiKeys, kubeconfig);
+    rc = load_kube_config_common(pBasePath, pSslConfig, pApiKeys, &kubeconfig);
 
-    kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig);
-    kubeconfig = NULL;
+    kubeconfig_free_members(&kubeconfig);
 
     return rc;
 }
diff --git a/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.c b/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.c
index e162c09b..bcf54094 100644
--- a/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.c
+++ b/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.c
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ kubeconfig_t *kubeconfig_create()
     return config;
 }
 
-void kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig)
+void kubeconfig_free_members(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig)
 {
     if (!kubeconfig) {
         return;
@@ -256,6 +256,15 @@ void kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig)
         kubeconfig_properties_free(kubeconfig->contexts, kubeconfig->contexts_count);
         kubeconfig->contexts = NULL;
     }
+}
+
+void kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig)
+{
+    if (!kubeconfig) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    kubeconfig_free_members(kubeconfig);
 
     free(kubeconfig);
 }
diff --git a/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.h b/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.h
index 6bae4ada..8915f5c7 100644
--- a/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.h
+++ b/kubernetes/config/kube_config_model.h
@@ -113,9 +113,17 @@ extern "C" {
     kubeconfig_property_t **kubeconfig_properties_create(int contexts_count, kubeconfig_property_type_t type);
     void kubeconfig_properties_free(kubeconfig_property_t ** properties, int properties_count);
 
+    // allocate kubeconfig_t structure on heap
     kubeconfig_t *kubeconfig_create();
+
+    // free a kubeconfig_t structure allocated on heap by a call to kubeconfig_create
     void kubeconfig_free(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig);
 
+    // free internal members of a kubeconfig_t structure.
+    // used when releasing resources for a kubeconfig_t that was not allocated using kubeconfig_create
+    // for example a kubeconfig_t allocated on stack
+    void kubeconfig_free_members(kubeconfig_t * kubeconfig);
+
 #ifdef  __cplusplus
 }
 #endif