diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/README.md b/tools/karpenter-convert/README.md
index 25a71bb2fbb0..e83eb1ebcd55 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/README.md
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/README.md
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ Usage:
 Flags:
   -f, --filename strings               Filename, directory, or URL to files to need to get converted.
   -h, --help                           help for karpenter-convert
-  -I, --ignore-defaults                Ignore defining default requirements when migrating Provisioners to NodePool.
-  -k, --kustomize string               Process the kustomization directory. This flag can't be used together with -f or -R.
+      --ignore-defaults                Ignore defining default requirements when migrating Provisioners to NodePool.
   -o, --output string                  Output format. One of: (json, yaml, name, go-template, go-template-file, template, templatefile, jsonpath, jsonpath-as-json, jsonpath-file). (default "yaml")
   -R, --recursive                      Process the directory used in -f, --filename recursively. Useful when you want to manage related manifests organized within the same directory.
 ```
diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/convert.go b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/convert.go
index 3f573634621a..8fcc788f49a1 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/convert.go
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/convert.go
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/aws/karpenter/pkg/apis/v1alpha5"
 )
 
+const karpenterNodeRolePlaceholder string = "$KARPENTER_NODE_ROLE"
+
 type Context struct {
 	PrintFlags *genericclioptions.PrintFlags
 	Printer    printers.ResourcePrinter
@@ -72,18 +74,20 @@ func NewCmd(f cmdutil.Factory, ioStreams genericiooptions.IOStreams) *cobra.Comm
 		},
 	}
 
-	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&o.IgnoreDefaults, "ignore-defaults", "I", o.IgnoreDefaults, "Ignore defining default requirements when migrating Provisioners to NodePool.")
-	cmdutil.AddFilenameOptionFlags(rootCmd, &o.FilenameOptions, "to need to get converted.")
+	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.IgnoreDefaults, "ignore-defaults", o.IgnoreDefaults, "Ignore defining default requirements when migrating Provisioners to NodePool.")
+	cmdutil.AddJsonFilenameFlag(rootCmd.Flags(), &o.Filenames, "Filename, directory, or URL to files to need to get converted.")
+	rootCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&o.Recursive, "recursive", "R", o.Recursive, "Process the directory used in -f, --filename recursively. Useful when you want to manage related manifests organized within the same directory.")
+
 	o.PrintFlags.AddFlags(rootCmd)
 
 	return rootCmd
 }
 
 func (o *Context) Complete(f cmdutil.Factory, _ *cobra.Command) (err error) {
-	err = o.FilenameOptions.RequireFilenameOrKustomize()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	if len(o.Filenames) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("must specify -f")
 	}
+
 	o.builder = f.NewBuilder
 	o.Printer, err = o.PrintFlags.ToPrinter()
 	return err
@@ -208,7 +212,7 @@ func convertNodeTemplate(resource runtime.Object) runtime.Object {
 	nodeclass.Status = v1beta1.EC2NodeClassStatus{}
 
 	// Leave a placeholder for the role. This can be substituted with `envsubst` or other means
-	nodeclass.Spec.Role = "$KARPENTER_NODE_ROLE"
+	nodeclass.Spec.Role = karpenterNodeRolePlaceholder
 	return nodeclass
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodeclass_kubectl_output.yaml b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodeclass_kubectl_output.yaml
index c8fdb45ed565..bedfe9304dff 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodeclass_kubectl_output.yaml
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodeclass_kubectl_output.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 apiVersion: karpenter.k8s.aws/v1beta1
 kind: EC2NodeClass
 metadata:
-  annotations:
-    kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: |
-      {"apiVersion":"karpenter.k8s.aws/v1alpha1","kind":"AWSNodeTemplate","metadata":{"annotations":{},"name":"default"},"spec":{"securityGroupSelector":{"karpenter.sh/discovery":"eks-workshop-camigration"},"subnetSelector":{"karpenter.sh/discovery":"eks-workshop-camigration"},"tags":{"app.kubernetes.io/created-by":"eks-workshop","aws-node-termination-handler/managed":"true"}}}
   name: default
 spec:
   amiFamily: AL2
diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodepool_kubectl_output.yaml b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodepool_kubectl_output.yaml
index 08139cfb98f4..e8f5cf2e3756 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodepool_kubectl_output.yaml
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodepool_kubectl_output.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1beta1
 kind: NodePool
 metadata:
-  annotations:
-    kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: |
-      {"apiVersion":"karpenter.sh/v1alpha5","kind":"Provisioner","metadata":{"annotations":{},"name":"provisioner1"},"spec":{"labels":{"type":"app1"},"limits":{"resources":{"cpu":100,"memory":"1000Gi"}},"providerRef":{"name":"default"},"requirements":[{"key":"karpenter.sh/capacity-type","operator":"In","values":["on-demand"]},{"key":"node.kubernetes.io/instance-family","operator":"In","values":["c","r","m"]}]}}
   name: provisioner1
 spec:
   disruption:
diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodetemplate_kubectl_output.yaml b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodetemplate_kubectl_output.yaml
index 1aff93e49a05..a4327e5d3108 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodetemplate_kubectl_output.yaml
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/nodetemplate_kubectl_output.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 apiVersion: karpenter.k8s.aws/v1alpha1
 kind: AWSNodeTemplate
 metadata:
-  annotations:
-    kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: |
-      {"apiVersion":"karpenter.k8s.aws/v1alpha1","kind":"AWSNodeTemplate","metadata":{"annotations":{},"name":"default"},"spec":{"securityGroupSelector":{"karpenter.sh/discovery":"eks-workshop-camigration"},"subnetSelector":{"karpenter.sh/discovery":"eks-workshop-camigration"},"tags":{"app.kubernetes.io/created-by":"eks-workshop","aws-node-termination-handler/managed":"true"}}}
   creationTimestamp: "2023-05-08T13:37:43Z"
   generation: 2
   name: default
diff --git a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/provisioner_kubectl_output.yaml b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/provisioner_kubectl_output.yaml
index b8f2e85844a9..3ab7703b4ace 100644
--- a/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/provisioner_kubectl_output.yaml
+++ b/tools/karpenter-convert/pkg/convert/testdata/provisioner_kubectl_output.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 apiVersion: karpenter.sh/v1alpha5
 kind: Provisioner
 metadata:
-  annotations:
-    kubectl.kubernetes.io/last-applied-configuration: |
-      {"apiVersion":"karpenter.sh/v1alpha5","kind":"Provisioner","metadata":{"annotations":{},"name":"provisioner1"},"spec":{"labels":{"type":"app1"},"limits":{"resources":{"cpu":100,"memory":"1000Gi"}},"providerRef":{"name":"default"},"requirements":[{"key":"karpenter.sh/capacity-type","operator":"In","values":["on-demand"]},{"key":"node.kubernetes.io/instance-family","operator":"In","values":["c","r","m"]}]}}
   creationTimestamp: "2023-07-10T13:41:16Z"
   generation: 1
   name: provisioner1