diff --git a/airflow/contrib/operators/kubernetes_pod_operator.py b/airflow/contrib/operators/kubernetes_pod_operator.py
index 34c7fc79c9914..981500d5e688a 100644
--- a/airflow/contrib/operators/kubernetes_pod_operator.py
+++ b/airflow/contrib/operators/kubernetes_pod_operator.py
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ def __init__(self,  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-locals
                  volumes: Optional[List[Volume]] = None,
                  env_vars: Optional[Dict] = None,
                  secrets: Optional[List[Secret]] = None,
-                 in_cluster: bool = True,
+                 in_cluster: Optional[bool] = None,
                  cluster_context: Optional[str] = None,
                  labels: Optional[Dict] = None,
                  startup_timeout_seconds: int = 120,
@@ -215,9 +215,13 @@ def __init__(self,  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-locals
 
     def execute(self, context):
         try:
-            client = kube_client.get_kube_client(in_cluster=self.in_cluster,
-                                                 cluster_context=self.cluster_context,
-                                                 config_file=self.config_file)
+            if self.in_cluster is not None:
+                client = kube_client.get_kube_client(in_cluster=self.in_cluster,
+                                                     cluster_context=self.cluster_context,
+                                                     config_file=self.config_file)
+            else:
+                client = kube_client.get_kube_client(cluster_context=self.cluster_context,
+                                                     config_file=self.config_file)
 
             # Add Airflow Version to the label
             # And a label to identify that pod is launched by KubernetesPodOperator