diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8745b4a..4329664 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ Note: Breaking changes between versions are indicated by "💥".
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- [Bugfix] Fix "Unexpected args" error during service initialization on Kubernetes (#611).
+
 ## v13.1.6 (2022-03-15)
 
 - [Bugfix] Fix `local/k8s quickstart` commands when upgrading from an older release (#595).
diff --git a/tutor/commands/k8s.py b/tutor/commands/k8s.py
index 7adcad1..64c0146 100644
--- a/tutor/commands/k8s.py
+++ b/tutor/commands/k8s.py
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ class K8sJobRunner(jobs.BaseJobRunner):
         # We cannot use the k8s API to create the job: configMap and volume names need
         # to be found with the right suffixes.
         kubectl_apply(
+            self.root,
             "--selector",
             f"app.kubernetes.io/name={job_name}",
         )
@@ -232,27 +233,21 @@ def start(context: Context, names: List[str]) -> None:
     for name in names:
         if name == "all":
             # Create volumes
-            utils.kubectl(
-                "apply",
-                "--kustomize",
-                tutor_env.pathjoin(context.root),
+            kubectl_apply(
+                context.root,
                 "--wait",
                 "--selector",
                 "app.kubernetes.io/component=volume",
             )
             # Create everything else except jobs
-            utils.kubectl(
-                "apply",
-                "--kustomize",
-                tutor_env.pathjoin(context.root),
+            kubectl_apply(
+                context.root,
                 "--selector",
                 "app.kubernetes.io/component notin (job,volume,namespace)",
             )
         else:
-            utils.kubectl(
-                "apply",
-                "--kustomize",
-                tutor_env.pathjoin(context.root),
+            kubectl_apply(
+                context.root,
                 "--selector",
                 f"app.kubernetes.io/name={name}",
             )
diff --git a/tutor/jobs.py b/tutor/jobs.py
index c3bc3da..56624c8 100644
--- a/tutor/jobs.py
+++ b/tutor/jobs.py
@@ -56,24 +56,20 @@ def initialise(runner: BaseJobRunner, limit_to: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         if limit_to is None or limit_to == plugin_name:
             for service in hook:
                 fmt.echo_info(
-                    "Plugin {}: running pre-init for service {}...".format(
-                        plugin_name, service
-                    )
+                    f"Plugin {plugin_name}: running pre-init for service {service}..."
                 )
                 runner.run_job_from_template(
                     service, plugin_name, "hooks", service, "pre-init"
                 )
     for service in ["lms", "cms"]:
         if limit_to is None or limit_to == service:
-            fmt.echo_info("Initialising {}...".format(service))
+            fmt.echo_info(f"Initialising {service}...")
             runner.run_job_from_template(service, "hooks", service, "init")
     for plugin_name, hook in runner.iter_plugin_hooks("init"):
         if limit_to is None or limit_to == plugin_name:
             for service in hook:
                 fmt.echo_info(
-                    "Plugin {}: running init for service {}...".format(
-                        plugin_name, service
-                    )
+                    f"Plugin {plugin_name}: running init for service {service}..."
                 )
                 runner.run_job_from_template(
                     service, plugin_name, "hooks", service, "init"
@@ -136,9 +132,7 @@ site.themes.create(theme_dir_name='{theme_name}')
 """.format(
             theme_name=theme_name, domain_name=domain_name
         )
-    command = BASE_OPENEDX_COMMAND + './manage.py lms shell -c "{python_code}"'.format(
-        python_code=python_code
-    )
+    command = BASE_OPENEDX_COMMAND + f'./manage.py lms shell -c "{python_code}"'
     runner.run_job("lms", command)