diff --git a/pkg/kubelet/images/image_gc_manager.go b/pkg/kubelet/images/image_gc_manager.go
index a3c890b790c..517f3ab7ae5 100644
--- a/pkg/kubelet/images/image_gc_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/kubelet/images/image_gc_manager.go
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ func (im *realImageGCManager) GarbageCollect() error {
 		}
 
 		if freed < amountToFree {
-			err := fmt.Errorf("failed to garbage collect required amount of images. Wanted to free %d bytes, but freed %d bytes", amountToFree, freed)
+			err := fmt.Errorf("Failed to garbage collect required amount of images. Attempted to free %d bytes, but only found %d bytes eligible to free.", amountToFree, freed)
 			im.recorder.Eventf(im.nodeRef, v1.EventTypeWarning, events.FreeDiskSpaceFailed, err.Error())
 			return err
 		}