diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/backends/backends.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/backends/backends.go
index 341c62a9c..afc98e4d6 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/backends/backends.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/backends/backends.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "backends",
 		Short: "Inspect the dynamic backend information of an ingress-nginx instance",
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 				return fmt.Errorf("--list and --backend cannot both be specified")
 			}
 
-			util.PrintError(backends(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, backend, onlyList))
+			util.PrintError(backends(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container, backend, onlyList))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	cmd.Flags().String("backend", "", "Output only the information for the given backend")
 	cmd.Flags().Bool("list", false, "Output a newline-separated list of backend names")
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func backends(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, backend string, onlyList bool) error {
+func backends(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string, backend string, onlyList bool) error {
 	var command []string
 	if onlyList {
 		command = []string{"/dbg", "backends", "list"}
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ func backends(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment s
 		return err
 	}
 
-	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, command)
+	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, container, command)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/certs/certs.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/certs/certs.go
index 07fd08ad3..88b721ee3 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/certs/certs.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/certs/certs.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "certs",
 		Short: "Output the certificate data stored in an ingress-nginx pod",
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			util.PrintError(certs(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, host))
+			util.PrintError(certs(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container, host))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
@@ -50,11 +50,12 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func certs(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, host string) error {
+func certs(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string, host string) error {
 	command := []string{"/dbg", "certs", "get", host}
 
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
@@ -62,7 +63,7 @@ func certs(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment stri
 		return err
 	}
 
-	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, command)
+	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, container, command)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/conf/conf.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/conf/conf.go
index 5caa2a649..a7f03a062 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/conf/conf.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/conf/conf.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import (
 
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "conf",
 		Short: "Inspect the generated nginx.conf",
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			util.PrintError(conf(flags, host, *pod, *deployment, *selector))
+			util.PrintError(conf(flags, host, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
@@ -50,17 +50,18 @@ func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func conf(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, host string, podName string, deployment string, selector string) error {
+func conf(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, host string, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string) error {
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	nginxConf, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, []string{"/dbg", "conf"})
+	nginxConf, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, container, []string{"/dbg", "conf"})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/exec/exec.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/exec/exec.go
index 5f1a31913..f06aaeb23 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/exec/exec.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/exec/exec.go
@@ -29,19 +29,21 @@ import (
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	opts := execFlags{}
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "exec",
 		Short: "Execute a command inside an ingress-nginx pod",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			util.PrintError(exec(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, args, opts))
+			util.PrintError(exec(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container, args, opts))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
+
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&opts.TTY, "tty", "t", false, "Stdin is a TTY")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&opts.Stdin, "stdin", "i", false, "Pass stdin to the container")
 
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ type execFlags struct {
 	Stdin bool
 }
 
-func exec(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, cmd []string, opts execFlags) error {
+func exec(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string, cmd []string, opts execFlags) error {
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ func exec(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment strin
 		args = append(args, "-i")
 	}
 
-	args = append(args, []string{"-n", pod.Namespace, pod.Name, "--"}...)
+	args = append(args, []string{"-n", pod.Namespace, "-c", container, pod.Name, "--"}...)
 	args = append(args, cmd...)
 	return kubectl.Exec(flags, args)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/general/general.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/general/general.go
index 44e02ca88..fa6c1301f 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/general/general.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/general/general.go
@@ -30,29 +30,30 @@ import (
 
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "general",
 		Short: "Inspect the other dynamic ingress-nginx information",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			util.PrintError(general(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector))
+			util.PrintError(general(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func general(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string) error {
+func general(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string) error {
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, []string{"/dbg", "general"})
+	out, err := kubectl.PodExecString(flags, &pod, container, []string{"/dbg", "general"})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/logs/logs.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/logs/logs.go
index 55cd008dc..56f4fc640 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/logs/logs.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/logs/logs.go
@@ -31,19 +31,20 @@ import (
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
 	o := logsFlags{}
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "logs",
 		Short: "Get the kubernetes logs for an ingress-nginx pod",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			util.PrintError(logs(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, o))
+			util.PrintError(logs(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container, o))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&o.Follow, "follow", "f", o.Follow, "Specify if the logs should be streamed.")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&o.Timestamps, "timestamps", o.Timestamps, "Include timestamps on each line in the log output")
@@ -94,13 +95,13 @@ func (o *logsFlags) toStrings() []string {
 	return r
 }
 
-func logs(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, opts logsFlags) error {
+func logs(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string, opts logsFlags) error {
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	cmd := []string{"logs", "-n", pod.Namespace, pod.Name}
+	cmd := []string{"logs", "-n", pod.Namespace, "-c", container, pod.Name}
 	cmd = append(cmd, opts.toStrings()...)
 	return kubectl.Exec(flags, cmd)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/commands/ssh/ssh.go b/cmd/plugin/commands/ssh/ssh.go
index 5e8b49fac..fe1b3e9fe 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/commands/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/commands/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -28,27 +28,28 @@ import (
 
 // CreateCommand creates and returns this cobra subcommand
 func CreateCommand(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) *cobra.Command {
-	var pod, deployment, selector *string
+	var pod, deployment, selector, container *string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "ssh",
 		Short: "ssh into a running ingress-nginx pod",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			util.PrintError(ssh(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector))
+			util.PrintError(ssh(flags, *pod, *deployment, *selector, *container))
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
 	pod = util.AddPodFlag(cmd)
 	deployment = util.AddDeploymentFlag(cmd)
 	selector = util.AddSelectorFlag(cmd)
+	container = util.AddContainerFlag(cmd)
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func ssh(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string) error {
+func ssh(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, podName string, deployment string, selector string, container string) error {
 	pod, err := request.ChoosePod(flags, podName, deployment, selector)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return kubectl.Exec(flags, []string{"exec", "-it", "-n", pod.Namespace, pod.Name, "--", "/bin/bash"})
+	return kubectl.Exec(flags, []string{"exec", "-it", "-n", pod.Namespace, "-c", container, pod.Name, "--", "/bin/bash"})
 }
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/kubectl/kubectl.go b/cmd/plugin/kubectl/kubectl.go
index c11ba5b77..3f31a2104 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/kubectl/kubectl.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/kubectl/kubectl.go
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ import (
 
 // PodExecString takes a pod and a command, uses kubectl exec to run the command in the pod
 // and returns stdout as a string
-func PodExecString(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, pod *apiv1.Pod, args []string) (string, error) {
-	args = append([]string{"exec", "-n", pod.Namespace, pod.Name}, args...)
+func PodExecString(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags, pod *apiv1.Pod, container string, args []string) (string, error) {
+	args = append([]string{"exec", "-n", pod.Namespace, "-c", container, pod.Name}, args...)
 	return ExecToString(flags, args)
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/plugin/util/util.go b/cmd/plugin/util/util.go
index cc9882009..e1910140d 100644
--- a/cmd/plugin/util/util.go
+++ b/cmd/plugin/util/util.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	DefaultIngressDeploymentName = "ingress-nginx-controller"
 	DefaultIngressServiceName    = "ingress-nginx-controller"
+	DefaultIngressContainerName  = "controller"
 )
 
 // IssuePrefix is the github url that we can append an issue number to to link to it
@@ -127,6 +128,13 @@ func AddSelectorFlag(cmd *cobra.Command) *string {
 	return &v
 }
 
+// AddContainerFlag adds a --container flag to a cobra command
+func AddContainerFlag(cmd *cobra.Command) *string {
+	v := ""
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&v, "container", DefaultIngressContainerName, "The name of the ingress-nginx controller container")
+	return &v
+}
+
 // GetNamespace takes a set of kubectl flag values and returns the namespace we should be operating in
 func GetNamespace(flags *genericclioptions.ConfigFlags) string {
 	namespace, _, err := flags.ToRawKubeConfigLoader().Namespace()
diff --git a/docs/kubectl-plugin.md b/docs/kubectl-plugin.md
index 2b6381f6f..9e5a5dcc6 100644
--- a/docs/kubectl-plugin.md
+++ b/docs/kubectl-plugin.md
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ Use "ingress-nginx [command] --help" for more information about a command.
 ## Common Flags
 
 - Every subcommand supports the basic `kubectl` configuration flags like `--namespace`, `--context`, `--client-key` and so on.
-- Subcommands that act on a particular `ingress-nginx` pod (`backends`, `certs`, `conf`, `exec`, `general`, `logs`, `ssh`), support the `--deployment <deployment>` and `--pod <pod>` flags to select either a pod from a deployment with the given name, or a pod with the given name. The `--deployment` flag defaults to `ingress-nginx-controller`.
+- Subcommands that act on a particular `ingress-nginx` pod (`backends`, `certs`, `conf`, `exec`, `general`, `logs`, `ssh`), support the `--deployment <deployment>`, `--pod <pod>`, and `--container <container>` flags to select either a pod from a deployment with the given name, or a pod with the given name (and the given container name). The `--deployment` flag defaults to `ingress-nginx-controller`, and the `--container` flag defaults to `controller`.
 - Subcommands that inspect resources (`ingresses`, `lint`) support the `--all-namespaces` flag, which causes them to inspect resources in every namespace.
 
 ## Subcommands