diff --git a/leaderelection/leader_election.go b/leaderelection/leader_election.go
index 59779f1f8..d23c22bf2 100644
--- a/leaderelection/leader_election.go
+++ b/leaderelection/leader_election.go
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ package leaderelection
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
@@ -62,16 +64,15 @@ type leaderElection struct {
 }
 
 // NewLeaderElection returns the default & preferred leader election type
-func NewLeaderElection(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lockNamespace string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
-	return NewLeaderElectionWithLeases(clientset, lockName, lockNamespace, runFunc)
+func NewLeaderElection(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
+	return NewLeaderElectionWithLeases(clientset, lockName, runFunc)
 }
 
 // NewLeaderElectionWithLeases returns an implementation of leader election using Leases
-func NewLeaderElectionWithLeases(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lockNamespace string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
+func NewLeaderElectionWithLeases(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
 	return &leaderElection{
 		runFunc:       runFunc,
 		lockName:      lockName,
-		namespace:     lockNamespace,
 		resourceLock:  resourcelock.LeasesResourceLock,
 		leaseDuration: defaultLeaseDuration,
 		renewDeadline: defaultRenewDeadline,
@@ -81,11 +82,10 @@ func NewLeaderElectionWithLeases(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lockN
 }
 
 // NewLeaderElectionWithEndpoints returns an implementation of leader election using Endpoints
-func NewLeaderElectionWithEndpoints(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lockNamespace string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
+func NewLeaderElectionWithEndpoints(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
 	return &leaderElection{
 		runFunc:       runFunc,
 		lockName:      lockName,
-		namespace:     lockNamespace,
 		resourceLock:  resourcelock.EndpointsResourceLock,
 		leaseDuration: defaultLeaseDuration,
 		renewDeadline: defaultRenewDeadline,
@@ -95,11 +95,10 @@ func NewLeaderElectionWithEndpoints(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lo
 }
 
 // NewLeaderElectionWithConfigMaps returns an implementation of leader election using ConfigMaps
-func NewLeaderElectionWithConfigMaps(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, lockNamespace string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
+func NewLeaderElectionWithConfigMaps(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName string, runFunc func(ctx context.Context)) *leaderElection {
 	return &leaderElection{
 		runFunc:       runFunc,
 		lockName:      lockName,
-		namespace:     lockNamespace,
 		resourceLock:  resourcelock.ConfigMapsResourceLock,
 		leaseDuration: defaultLeaseDuration,
 		renewDeadline: defaultRenewDeadline,
@@ -108,20 +107,29 @@ func NewLeaderElectionWithConfigMaps(clientset kubernetes.Interface, lockName, l
 	}
 }
 
-func (l *leaderElection) WithIdentity(identity string) {
+func (l *leaderElection) WithIdentity(identity string) *leaderElection {
 	l.identity = identity
+	return l
 }
 
-func (l *leaderElection) WithLeaseDuration(leaseDuration time.Duration) {
+func (l *leaderElection) WithNamespace(namespace string) *leaderElection {
+	l.namespace = namespace
+	return l
+}
+
+func (l *leaderElection) WithLeaseDuration(leaseDuration time.Duration) *leaderElection {
 	l.leaseDuration = leaseDuration
+	return l
 }
 
-func (l *leaderElection) WithRenewDeadline(renewDeadline time.Duration) {
+func (l *leaderElection) WithRenewDeadline(renewDeadline time.Duration) *leaderElection {
 	l.renewDeadline = renewDeadline
+	return l
 }
 
-func (l *leaderElection) WithRetryPeriod(retryPeriod time.Duration) {
+func (l *leaderElection) WithRetryPeriod(retryPeriod time.Duration) *leaderElection {
 	l.retryPeriod = retryPeriod
+	return l
 }
 
 func (l *leaderElection) Run() error {
@@ -134,6 +142,10 @@ func (l *leaderElection) Run() error {
 		l.identity = id
 	}
 
+	if l.namespace == "" {
+		l.namespace = inClusterNamespace()
+	}
+
 	broadcaster := record.NewBroadcaster()
 	broadcaster.StartRecordingToSink(&corev1.EventSinkImpl{Interface: l.clientset.CoreV1().Events(l.namespace)})
 	eventRecorder := broadcaster.NewRecorder(scheme.Scheme, v1.EventSource{Component: fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", l.lockName, string(l.identity))})
@@ -185,3 +197,20 @@ func sanitizeName(name string) string {
 	}
 	return name
 }
+
+// inClusterNamespace returns the namespace in which the pod is running in by checking
+// the env var POD_NAMESPACE, then the file /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/namespace.
+// if neither returns a valid namespace, the "default" namespace is returned
+func inClusterNamespace() string {
+	if ns := os.Getenv("POD_NAMESPACE"); ns != "" {
+		return ns
+	}
+
+	if data, err := ioutil.ReadFile("/var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/namespace"); err == nil {
+		if ns := strings.TrimSpace(string(data)); len(ns) > 0 {
+			return ns
+		}
+	}
+
+	return "default"
+}