diff --git a/kyaml/fn/framework/processors.go b/kyaml/fn/framework/processors.go
index 1b390b2695..fa59a9e257 100644
--- a/kyaml/fn/framework/processors.go
+++ b/kyaml/fn/framework/processors.go
@@ -32,13 +32,15 @@ type SimpleProcessor struct {
 	// Config must be a struct capable of receiving the data from ResourceList.functionConfig.
 	// Filter functions may close over this struct to access its data.
 	Config interface{}
+	// Strict indicates whether the processor should use strict unmarshalling when loading the Config.
+	Strict bool
 }
 
 // Process makes SimpleProcessor implement the ResourceListProcessor interface.
 // It loads the ResourceList.functionConfig into the provided Config type, applying
 // defaulting and validation if supported by Config. It then executes the processor's filter.
 func (p SimpleProcessor) Process(rl *ResourceList) error {
-	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, p.Config); err != nil {
+	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, p.Config, p.Strict); err != nil {
 		return errors.WrapPrefixf(err, "loading function config")
 	}
 	return errors.WrapPrefixf(rl.Filter(p.Filter), "processing filter")
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ func (p *VersionedAPIProcessor) Process(rl *ResourceList) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WrapPrefixf(err, "unable to identify provider for resource")
 	}
-	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, api); err != nil {
+	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, api, false); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err)
 	}
 	return errors.Wrap(rl.Filter(api))
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ func extractGVK(src *yaml.RNode) (apiVersion, kind string) {
 // LoadFunctionConfig reads a configuration resource from YAML into the provided data structure
 // and then prepares it for use by running defaulting and validation on it, if supported.
 // ResourceListProcessors should use this function to load ResourceList.functionConfig.
-func LoadFunctionConfig(src *yaml.RNode, api interface{}) error {
+func LoadFunctionConfig(src *yaml.RNode, api interface{}, strict bool) error {
 	if api == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -156,7 +158,14 @@ func LoadFunctionConfig(src *yaml.RNode, api interface{}) error {
 
 	// using sigs.k8s.io/yaml here lets the custom types embed core types
 	// that only have json tags, notably types from k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1
-	if err := k8syaml.Unmarshal([]byte(src.MustString()), api); err != nil {
+
+	var err error
+	if strict {
+		err = k8syaml.UnmarshalStrict([]byte(src.MustString()), api)
+	} else {
+		err = k8syaml.Unmarshal([]byte(src.MustString()), api)
+	}
+	if err != nil {
 		if schemaValidationError != nil {
 			// if we got a validation error, report it instead as it is likely a nicer version of the same message
 			return schemaValidationError
@@ -295,7 +304,7 @@ func (tp TemplateProcessor) Filter(items []*yaml.RNode) ([]*yaml.RNode, error) {
 // directly as a processor. As a Processor, it loads the ResourceList.functionConfig into the
 // TemplateData field, exposing it to all templates by default.
 func (tp TemplateProcessor) Process(rl *ResourceList) error {
-	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, tp.TemplateData); err != nil {
+	if err := LoadFunctionConfig(rl.FunctionConfig, tp.TemplateData, false); err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err)
 	}
 	return errors.Wrap(rl.Filter(tp))
diff --git a/kyaml/fn/framework/processors_test.go b/kyaml/fn/framework/processors_test.go
index 88eee73897..f88cb0a035 100644
--- a/kyaml/fn/framework/processors_test.go
+++ b/kyaml/fn/framework/processors_test.go
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@ func TestLoadFunctionConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		name        string
 		src         *yaml.RNode
 		api         interface{}
+		strict      bool
 		want        interface{}
 		wantErrMsgs []string
 	}{
@@ -825,6 +826,16 @@ test: true
 			api:  &jsonTagTest{},
 			want: &jsonTagTest{Name: "tester", Test: true},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "successfully loads types that include fields only tagged with json markers, strict mode",
+			src: yaml.MustParse(`
+name: tester
+test: true
+`),
+			api:    &jsonTagTest{},
+			strict: true,
+			want:   &jsonTagTest{Name: "tester", Test: true},
+		},
 		{
 			name: "successfully loads types that include fields only tagged with yaml markers",
 			src: yaml.MustParse(`
@@ -834,11 +845,43 @@ test: true
 			api:  &yamlTagTest{},
 			want: &yamlTagTest{Name: "tester", Test: true},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "successfully loads types that include fields only tagged with yaml markers, strict mode",
+			src: yaml.MustParse(`
+name: tester
+test: true
+`),
+			api:    &yamlTagTest{},
+			strict: true,
+			want:   &yamlTagTest{Name: "tester", Test: true},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "strict mode fails on unknown fields on types with yaml tags",
+			src: yaml.MustParse(`
+name: tester
+test: true
+unknown: field
+`),
+			api:         &yamlTagTest{},
+			strict:      true,
+			wantErrMsgs: []string{`error unmarshaling JSON: while decoding JSON: json: unknown field "unknown"`},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "strict mode fails on unknown fields on types with json tags",
+			src: yaml.MustParse(`
+name: tester
+test: true
+unknown: field
+`),
+			api:         &jsonTagTest{},
+			strict:      true,
+			wantErrMsgs: []string{`error unmarshaling JSON: while decoding JSON: json: unknown field "unknown"`},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			err := framework.LoadFunctionConfig(tt.src, tt.api)
+			err := framework.LoadFunctionConfig(tt.src, tt.api, tt.strict)
 			if len(tt.wantErrMsgs) == 0 {
 				require.NoError(t, err)
 				require.Equal(t, tt.want, tt.api)