diff --git a/pkg/controller/nodelifecycle/node_lifecycle_controller.go b/pkg/controller/nodelifecycle/node_lifecycle_controller.go
index a50389e1e8f..1c0da7c3a0e 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/nodelifecycle/node_lifecycle_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/nodelifecycle/node_lifecycle_controller.go
@@ -893,7 +893,7 @@ func (nc *Controller) processTaintBaseEviction(node *v1.Node, observedReadyCondi
 		if taintutils.TaintExists(node.Spec.Taints, NotReadyTaintTemplate) {
 			taintToAdd := *UnreachableTaintTemplate
 			if !nodeutil.SwapNodeControllerTaint(nc.kubeClient, []*v1.Taint{&taintToAdd}, []*v1.Taint{NotReadyTaintTemplate}, node) {
-				klog.Errorf("Failed to instantly swap UnreachableTaint to NotReadyTaint. Will try again in the next cycle.")
+				klog.Errorf("Failed to instantly swap NotReadyTaint to UnreachableTaint. Will try again in the next cycle.")
 			}
 		} else if nc.markNodeForTainting(node) {
 			klog.V(2).Infof("Node %v is unresponsive as of %v. Adding it to the Taint queue.",