diff --git a/cmd/drone-server/server.go b/cmd/drone-server/server.go
index f36527bd1..fa689212e 100644
--- a/cmd/drone-server/server.go
+++ b/cmd/drone-server/server.go
@@ -175,6 +175,24 @@ var flags = []cli.Flag{
 		Usage:  "token to secure prometheus metrics endpoint",
 		Value:  "",
 	},
+	cli.StringFlag{
+		EnvVar: "DRONE_VAULT_AUTH_TYPE",
+		Name:   "drone-vault-auth-type",
+		Usage:  "auth backend type used for connecting to vault",
+		Value:  "",
+	},
+	cli.StringFlag{
+		EnvVar: "DRONE_VAULT_AUTH_MOUNT_POINT",
+		Name:   "drone-vault-auth-mount-point",
+		Usage:  "mount point for desired vault auth backend",
+		Value:  "",
+	},
+	cli.StringFlag{
+		EnvVar: "DRONE_VAULT_KUBERNETES_ROLE",
+		Name:   "drone-vault-kubernetes-role",
+		Usage:  "role to authenticate as for vault kubernetes auth",
+		Value:  "",
+	},
 	//
 	// resource limit parameters
 	//
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/fixtures/fakeJwt b/plugins/secrets/vault/fixtures/fakeJwt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e3abd126
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/fixtures/fakeJwt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+fakeJwt
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes.go b/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f289a8aff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package vault
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/drone/drone/plugins/internal"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"time"
+)
+
+/*
+Vault JSON Response
+{
+  "auth": {
+    "client_token" = "token",
+    "lease_duration" = "1234s"
+  }
+}
+*/
+type vaultAuth struct {
+	Token string `json:"client_token"`
+	Lease string `json:"lease_duration"`
+}
+type vaultResp struct {
+	Auth vaultAuth
+}
+
+func getKubernetesToken(addr, role, mount, tokenFile string) (string, time.Duration, error) {
+	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(tokenFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", 0, err
+	}
+
+	var resp vaultResp
+	path := fmt.Sprintf("%s/v1/auth/%s/login", addr, mount)
+	data := map[string]string{
+		"jwt":  string(b),
+		"role": role,
+	}
+
+	err = internal.Send("POST", path, data, &resp)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", 0, err
+	}
+
+	ttl, err := time.ParseDuration(resp.Auth.Lease)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", 0, err
+	}
+
+	return resp.Auth.Token, ttl, nil
+}
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes_test.go b/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e1fbedee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/kubernetes_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+package vault
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func TestGetKubernetesToken(t *testing.T) {
+	fakeRole := "fakeRole"
+	fakeMountPoint := "kubernetes"
+	fakeJwtFile := "fixtures/fakeJwt"
+	b, _ := ioutil.ReadFile(fakeJwtFile)
+	fakeJwt := string(b)
+	fakeClientToken := "fakeClientToken"
+	fakeLeaseMinutes := "10m"
+	fakeLeaseDuration, _ := time.ParseDuration(fakeLeaseMinutes)
+	fakeResp := fmt.Sprintf("{\"auth\": {\"client_token\": \"%s\", \"lease_duration\": \"%s\"}}", fakeClientToken, fakeLeaseMinutes)
+	expectedPath := "/v1/auth/kubernetes/login"
+
+	ts := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		if r.Method != "POST" {
+			t.Errorf("Expected 'POST' request, got '%s'", r.Method)
+		}
+		if r.URL.EscapedPath() != expectedPath {
+			t.Errorf("Expected request to '%s', got '%s'", expectedPath, r.URL.EscapedPath())
+		}
+
+		var postdata struct {
+			Jwt  string
+			Role string
+		}
+		err := json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&postdata)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Encountered error parsing request JSON:  %s", err)
+		}
+
+		jwt := postdata.Jwt
+
+		if jwt != fakeJwt {
+			t.Errorf("Expected request to have jwt with value '%s', got: '%s'", fakeJwt, jwt)
+		}
+		role := postdata.Role
+		if role != fakeRole {
+			t.Errorf("Expected request to have role with value '%s', got: '%s'", fakeRole, role)
+		}
+
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, fakeResp)
+	}))
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	url := ts.URL
+	token, ttl, err := getKubernetesToken(url, fakeRole, fakeMountPoint, fakeJwtFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("getKubernetesToken returned an error: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	if token != fakeClientToken {
+		t.Errorf("Expected returned token to have value '%s', got: '%s'", fakeClientToken, token)
+	}
+	if ttl != fakeLeaseDuration {
+		t.Errorf("Expected TTL to have value '%s', got: '%s'", fakeLeaseDuration.Seconds(), ttl.Seconds())
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/opts.go b/plugins/secrets/vault/opts.go
index e2833aaa3..7b4eaa7eb 100644
--- a/plugins/secrets/vault/opts.go
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/opts.go
@@ -24,3 +24,22 @@ func WithRenewal(d time.Duration) Opts {
 		v.renew = d
 	}
 }
+
+// WithAuth returns an options that sets the vault
+// method to use for authentication
+func WithAuth(method string) Opts {
+	return func(v *vault) {
+		v.auth = method
+	}
+}
+
+// WithKubernetes returns an options that sets
+// kubernetes-auth parameters required to retrieve
+// an initial vault token
+func WithKubernetesAuth(addr, role, mount string) Opts {
+	return func(v *vault) {
+		v.kubeAuth.addr = addr
+		v.kubeAuth.role = role
+		v.kubeAuth.mount = mount
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/opts_test.go b/plugins/secrets/vault/opts_test.go
index 217a98892..873907151 100644
--- a/plugins/secrets/vault/opts_test.go
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/opts_test.go
@@ -26,3 +26,31 @@ func TestWithRenewal(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Want renewal %v, got %v", want, got)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestWithAuth(t *testing.T) {
+	v := new(vault)
+	method := "kubernetes"
+	opt := WithAuth(method)
+	opt(v)
+	if got, want := v.auth, method; got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Want auth %v, got %v", want, got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWithKubernetesAuth(t *testing.T) {
+	v := new(vault)
+	addr := "https://address.fake"
+	role := "fakeRole"
+	mount := "kubernetes"
+	opt := WithKubernetesAuth(addr, role, mount)
+	opt(v)
+	if got, want := v.kubeAuth.addr, addr; got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Want addr %v, got %v", want, got)
+	}
+	if got, want := v.kubeAuth.role, role; got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Want role %v, got %v", want, got)
+	}
+	if got, want := v.kubeAuth.mount, mount; got != want {
+		t.Errorf("Want mount %v, got %v", want, got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/plugins/secrets/vault/vault.go b/plugins/secrets/vault/vault.go
index 2ec801158..ebad6859b 100644
--- a/plugins/secrets/vault/vault.go
+++ b/plugins/secrets/vault/vault.go
@@ -41,11 +41,17 @@ type vaultConfig struct {
 }
 
 type vault struct {
-	store  model.ConfigStore
-	client *api.Client
-	ttl    time.Duration
-	renew  time.Duration
-	done   chan struct{}
+	store    model.ConfigStore
+	client   *api.Client
+	ttl      time.Duration
+	renew    time.Duration
+	auth     string
+	kubeAuth kubeAuth
+	done     chan struct{}
+}
+
+type kubeAuth struct {
+	addr, role, mount string
 }
 
 // New returns a new store with secrets loaded from vault.
@@ -61,10 +67,34 @@ func New(store model.ConfigStore, opts ...Opts) (secrets.Plugin, error) {
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		opt(v)
 	}
+	if v.auth == "kubernetes" {
+		err = v.initKubernetes()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
 	v.start() // start the refresh process.
 	return v, nil
 }
 
+func (v *vault) initKubernetes() error {
+	token, ttl, err := getKubernetesToken(
+		v.kubeAuth.addr,
+		v.kubeAuth.role,
+		v.kubeAuth.mount,
+		"/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token",
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Debugf("vault: failed to obtain token via kubernetes-auth backend: %s", err)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	v.client.SetToken(token)
+	v.ttl = ttl
+	v.renew = ttl / 2
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (v *vault) SecretListBuild(repo *model.Repo, build *model.Build) ([]*model.Secret, error) {
 	return v.list(repo, build)
 }