diff --git a/changelog/20488.txt b/changelog/20488.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ea0f78b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/20488.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+```release-note:improvement
+cli: Improve addPrefixToKVPath helper
+```
diff --git a/command/kv_delete.go b/command/kv_delete.go
index d10c9ebc3..a365c8916 100644
--- a/command/kv_delete.go
+++ b/command/kv_delete.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func (c *KVDeleteCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	var fullPath string
 	if v2 {
 		secret, err = c.deleteV2(partialPath, mountPath, client)
-		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data")
+		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data", false)
 	} else {
 		// v1
 		if mountFlagSyntax {
@@ -195,13 +195,13 @@ func (c *KVDeleteCommand) deleteV2(path, mountPath string, client *api.Client) (
 	var secret *api.Secret
 	switch {
 	case len(c.flagVersions) > 0:
-		path = addPrefixToKVPath(path, mountPath, "delete")
+		path = addPrefixToKVPath(path, mountPath, "delete", false)
 		data := map[string]interface{}{
 			"versions": kvParseVersionsFlags(c.flagVersions),
 		}
 		secret, err = client.Logical().Write(path, data)
 	default:
-		path = addPrefixToKVPath(path, mountPath, "data")
+		path = addPrefixToKVPath(path, mountPath, "data", false)
 		secret, err = client.Logical().Delete(path)
 	}
 
diff --git a/command/kv_destroy.go b/command/kv_destroy.go
index 2ac115cd2..1167ec814 100644
--- a/command/kv_destroy.go
+++ b/command/kv_destroy.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func (c *KVDestroyCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		c.UI.Error("Destroy not supported on KV Version 1")
 		return 1
 	}
-	destroyPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "destroy")
+	destroyPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "destroy", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.UI.Error(err.Error())
 		return 2
diff --git a/command/kv_get.go b/command/kv_get.go
index c5c93fc96..1d0e330e7 100644
--- a/command/kv_get.go
+++ b/command/kv_get.go
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func (c *KVGetCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	var fullPath string
 	// Add /data to v2 paths only
 	if v2 {
-		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data")
+		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data", false)
 
 		if c.flagVersion > 0 {
 			versionParam = map[string]string{
diff --git a/command/kv_helpers.go b/command/kv_helpers.go
index 878e25282..adf2ec3fd 100644
--- a/command/kv_helpers.go
+++ b/command/kv_helpers.go
@@ -128,15 +128,15 @@ func isKVv2(path string, client *api.Client) (string, bool, error) {
 	return mountPath, version == 2, nil
 }
 
-func addPrefixToKVPath(p, mountPath, apiPrefix string) string {
-	if p == mountPath || p == strings.TrimSuffix(mountPath, "/") {
+func addPrefixToKVPath(path, mountPath, apiPrefix string, skipIfExists bool) string {
+	if path == mountPath || path == strings.TrimSuffix(mountPath, "/") {
 		return paths.Join(mountPath, apiPrefix)
 	}
 
-	tp := strings.TrimPrefix(p, mountPath)
+	pathSuffix := strings.TrimPrefix(path, mountPath)
 	for {
 		// If the entire mountPath is included in the path, we are done
-		if tp != p {
+		if pathSuffix != path {
 			break
 		}
 		// Trim the parts of the mountPath that are not included in the
@@ -147,10 +147,16 @@ func addPrefixToKVPath(p, mountPath, apiPrefix string) string {
 			break
 		}
 		mountPath = strings.TrimSuffix(partialMountPath[1], "/")
-		tp = strings.TrimPrefix(tp, mountPath)
+		pathSuffix = strings.TrimPrefix(pathSuffix, mountPath)
 	}
 
-	return paths.Join(mountPath, apiPrefix, tp)
+	if skipIfExists {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(pathSuffix, apiPrefix) || strings.HasPrefix(pathSuffix, "/"+apiPrefix) {
+			return paths.Join(mountPath, pathSuffix)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return paths.Join(mountPath, apiPrefix, pathSuffix)
 }
 
 func getHeaderForMap(header string, data map[string]interface{}) string {
diff --git a/command/kv_helpers_test.go b/command/kv_helpers_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5ab1f6e39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/command/kv_helpers_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package command
+
+import "testing"
+
+// TestAddPrefixToKVPath tests the addPrefixToKVPath helper function
+func TestAddPrefixToKVPath(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := map[string]struct {
+		path         string
+		mountPath    string
+		apiPrefix    string
+		skipIfExists bool
+		expected     string
+	}{
+		"simple": {
+			path:         "kv-v2/foo",
+			mountPath:    "kv-v2/",
+			apiPrefix:    "data",
+			skipIfExists: false,
+			expected:     "kv-v2/data/foo",
+		},
+
+		"multi-part": {
+			path:         "my/kv-v2/mount/path/foo/bar/baz",
+			mountPath:    "my/kv-v2/mount/path",
+			apiPrefix:    "metadata",
+			skipIfExists: false,
+			expected:     "my/kv-v2/mount/path/metadata/foo/bar/baz",
+		},
+
+		"with-namespace": {
+			path:         "my/kv-v2/mount/path/foo/bar/baz",
+			mountPath:    "my/ns1/my/kv-v2/mount/path",
+			apiPrefix:    "metadata",
+			skipIfExists: false,
+			expected:     "my/kv-v2/mount/path/metadata/foo/bar/baz",
+		},
+
+		"skip-if-exists-true": {
+			path:         "kv-v2/data/foo",
+			mountPath:    "kv-v2/",
+			apiPrefix:    "data",
+			skipIfExists: true,
+			expected:     "kv-v2/data/foo",
+		},
+
+		"skip-if-exists-false": {
+			path:         "kv-v2/data/foo",
+			mountPath:    "kv-v2",
+			apiPrefix:    "data",
+			skipIfExists: false,
+			expected:     "kv-v2/data/data/foo",
+		},
+
+		"skip-if-exists-with-namespace": {
+			path:         "my/kv-v2/mount/path/metadata/foo/bar/baz",
+			mountPath:    "my/ns1/my/kv-v2/mount/path",
+			apiPrefix:    "metadata",
+			skipIfExists: true,
+			expected:     "my/kv-v2/mount/path/metadata/foo/bar/baz",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for name, tc := range cases {
+		name, tc := name, tc
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			actual := addPrefixToKVPath(
+				tc.path,
+				tc.mountPath,
+				tc.apiPrefix,
+				tc.skipIfExists,
+			)
+
+			if tc.expected != actual {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected output; want: %v, got: %v", tc.expected, actual)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/command/kv_list.go b/command/kv_list.go
index 5b74edcc1..25ad4d2a7 100644
--- a/command/kv_list.go
+++ b/command/kv_list.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (c *KVListCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	// Add /metadata to v2 paths only
 	var fullPath string
 	if v2 {
-		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata")
+		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata", false)
 	} else {
 		// v1
 		if mountFlagSyntax {
diff --git a/command/kv_metadata_delete.go b/command/kv_metadata_delete.go
index 5cb97b0ed..6217506f2 100644
--- a/command/kv_metadata_delete.go
+++ b/command/kv_metadata_delete.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func (c *KVMetadataDeleteCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata", false)
 	if secret, err := client.Logical().Delete(fullPath); err != nil {
 		c.UI.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error deleting %s: %s", fullPath, err))
 		if secret != nil {
diff --git a/command/kv_metadata_get.go b/command/kv_metadata_get.go
index db5e3f25a..8d1721074 100644
--- a/command/kv_metadata_get.go
+++ b/command/kv_metadata_get.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (c *KVMetadataGetCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata", false)
 	secret, err := client.Logical().Read(fullPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.UI.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error reading %s: %s", fullPath, err))
diff --git a/command/kv_metadata_patch.go b/command/kv_metadata_patch.go
index 3de4881ff..60d1a3e8b 100644
--- a/command/kv_metadata_patch.go
+++ b/command/kv_metadata_patch.go
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ func (c *KVMetadataPatchCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata", false)
 
 	data := make(map[string]interface{}, 0)
 
diff --git a/command/kv_metadata_put.go b/command/kv_metadata_put.go
index 5acea825a..9ec43e0ba 100644
--- a/command/kv_metadata_put.go
+++ b/command/kv_metadata_put.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (c *KVMetadataPutCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "metadata", false)
 	data := map[string]interface{}{}
 
 	if c.flagMaxVersions >= 0 {
diff --git a/command/kv_patch.go b/command/kv_patch.go
index e6fad922b..3f5080d4d 100644
--- a/command/kv_patch.go
+++ b/command/kv_patch.go
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ func (c *KVPatchCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 2
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.UI.Error(err.Error())
 		return 2
diff --git a/command/kv_put.go b/command/kv_put.go
index bdbd34b0f..77c0c6a11 100644
--- a/command/kv_put.go
+++ b/command/kv_put.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (c *KVPutCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	// Add /data to v2 paths only
 	var fullPath string
 	if v2 {
-		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data")
+		fullPath = addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data", false)
 		data = map[string]interface{}{
 			"data":    data,
 			"options": map[string]interface{}{},
diff --git a/command/kv_rollback.go b/command/kv_rollback.go
index a0aec415f..c54d7bc2f 100644
--- a/command/kv_rollback.go
+++ b/command/kv_rollback.go
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ func (c *KVRollbackCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 2
 	}
 
-	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data")
+	fullPath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "data", false)
 	if err != nil {
 		c.UI.Error(err.Error())
 		return 2
diff --git a/command/kv_undelete.go b/command/kv_undelete.go
index 8b8eab569..25de58835 100644
--- a/command/kv_undelete.go
+++ b/command/kv_undelete.go
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func (c *KVUndeleteCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	undeletePath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "undelete")
+	undeletePath := addPrefixToKVPath(partialPath, mountPath, "undelete", false)
 	data := map[string]interface{}{
 		"versions": kvParseVersionsFlags(c.flagVersions),
 	}