diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
index 51e967aa112..500ba478f11 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
@@ -331,5 +331,5 @@ func patchOperation(didPatch bool) string {
 	if didPatch {
 		return "patched"
 	}
-	return "not patched"
+	return "patched (no change)"
 }
diff --git a/test/cmd/core.sh b/test/cmd/core.sh
index 62c8ff84463..0973022b2f0 100755
--- a/test/cmd/core.sh
+++ b/test/cmd/core.sh
@@ -439,9 +439,9 @@ run_pod_tests() {
   output_message=$(! kubectl patch "${kube_flags[@]}" pod valid-pod -p='{"metadata":{"labels":"invalid"}}' 2>&1)
   kube::test::if_has_string "${output_message}" 'cannot restore map from string'
 
-  ## Patch exits with error message "not patched" and exit code 0 when no-op occurs
+  ## Patch exits with error message "patched (no change)" and exit code 0 when no-op occurs
   output_message=$(kubectl patch "${kube_flags[@]}" pod valid-pod -p='{"metadata":{"labels":{"name":"valid-pod"}}}' 2>&1)
-  kube::test::if_has_string "${output_message}" 'not patched'
+  kube::test::if_has_string "${output_message}" 'patched (no change)'
 
   ## Patch pod can change image
   # Command