diff --git a/extensions/node-menu/src/node-menu.tsx b/extensions/node-menu/src/node-menu.tsx
index 9f4d30a35c..c1a9e3caa1 100644
--- a/extensions/node-menu/src/node-menu.tsx
+++ b/extensions/node-menu/src/node-menu.tsx
@@ -45,9 +45,12 @@ export interface NodeMenuProps extends Renderer.Component.KubeObjectMenuProps<No
 export function NodeMenu(props: NodeMenuProps) {
   const { object: node, toolbar } = props;
 
-  if (!node) return null;
+  if (!node) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
   const nodeName = node.getName();
-  const kubectlPath = JSON.stringify(App.Preferences.getKubectlPath()); // this call escapes spaces and quotes
+  const kubectlPath = App.Preferences.getKubectlPath() || "kubectl";
 
   const sendToTerminal = (command: string) => {
     terminalStore.sendCommand(command, {
diff --git a/extensions/pod-menu/src/attach-menu.tsx b/extensions/pod-menu/src/attach-menu.tsx
index 549c85359a..0c0d2539af 100644
--- a/extensions/pod-menu/src/attach-menu.tsx
+++ b/extensions/pod-menu/src/attach-menu.tsx
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ export class PodAttachMenu extends React.Component<PodAttachMenuProps> {
   async attachToPod(container?: string) {
     const { object: pod } = this.props;
 
+    const kubectlPath = App.Preferences.getKubectlPath() || "kubectl";
     const commandParts = [
-      JSON.stringify(App.Preferences.getKubectlPath()), // this call escapes spaces and quotes
+      kubectlPath,
       "attach",
       "-i",
       "-t",
diff --git a/extensions/pod-menu/src/shell-menu.tsx b/extensions/pod-menu/src/shell-menu.tsx
index 54edd68e29..71bf94127c 100644
--- a/extensions/pod-menu/src/shell-menu.tsx
+++ b/extensions/pod-menu/src/shell-menu.tsx
@@ -49,8 +49,9 @@ export class PodShellMenu extends React.Component<PodShellMenuProps> {
   async execShell(container?: string) {
     const { object: pod } = this.props;
 
+    const kubectlPath = App.Preferences.getKubectlPath() || "kubectl";
     const commandParts = [
-      JSON.stringify(App.Preferences.getKubectlPath()), // this call escapes spaces and quotes
+      kubectlPath,
       "exec",
       "-i",
       "-t",
diff --git a/src/extensions/common-api/user-preferences.ts b/src/extensions/common-api/user-preferences.ts
index fd965706fb..36ee2dd1e4 100644
--- a/src/extensions/common-api/user-preferences.ts
+++ b/src/extensions/common-api/user-preferences.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,10 @@
  */
 
 import { UserStore } from "../../common/user-store";
-import { bundledKubectlPath } from "../../main/kubectl";
 
-export function getKubectlPath(): string {
-  return UserStore.getInstance().kubectlBinariesPath || bundledKubectlPath();
+/**
+ * Get the configured kubectl binaries path.
+ */
+export function getKubectlPath(): string | undefined {
+  return UserStore.getInstance().kubectlBinariesPath;
 }