diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label.go
index 0dc7d74aa89..db7260cb7df 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func RunLabel(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []stri
 		return err
 	}
 
-	labels, remove, err := parseLabels(labelArgs)
+	lbls, remove, err := parseLabels(labelArgs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return cmdutil.UsageError(cmd, err.Error())
 	}
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func RunLabel(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []stri
 			return err
 		}
 		obj, err := cmdutil.UpdateObject(info, func(obj runtime.Object) error {
-			err := labelFunc(obj, overwrite, resourceVersion, labels, remove)
+			err := labelFunc(obj, overwrite, resourceVersion, lbls, remove)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -214,10 +214,16 @@ func RunLabel(f *cmdutil.Factory, out io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args []stri
 			return err
 		}
 
-		printer, err := f.PrinterForMapping(cmd, info.Mapping, false)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
+		outputFormat := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "output")
+		if outputFormat == "" {
+			cmdutil.PrintSuccess(mapper, false, out, info.Mapping.Resource, info.Name, "labeled")
+		} else {
+			printer, err := f.PrinterForMapping(cmd, info.Mapping, false)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			return printer.PrintObj(obj, out)
 		}
-		return printer.PrintObj(obj, out)
+		return nil
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
index c8345df9f91..82eaf69ca23 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/label_test.go
@@ -325,10 +325,7 @@ func TestLabelErrors(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestLabelForResourceFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 	pods, _, _ := testData()
-
 	f, tf, codec := NewAPIFactory()
-	tf.Printer = &testPrinter{}
-
 	tf.Client = &client.FakeRESTClient{
 		Codec: codec,
 		Client: client.HTTPClientFunc(func(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
@@ -355,7 +352,6 @@ func TestLabelForResourceFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 		}),
 	}
-
 	tf.Namespace = "test"
 	tf.ClientConfig = &client.Config{Version: testapi.Version()}
 
@@ -363,25 +359,18 @@ func TestLabelForResourceFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 	cmd := NewCmdLabel(f, buf)
 	cmd.Flags().Set("filename", "../../../examples/cassandra/cassandra.yaml")
 
-	cmd.SetOutput(buf)
 	err := RunLabel(f, buf, cmd, []string{"a=b"})
-
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-	if tf.Printer.(*testPrinter).Objects == nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected print to default printer")
-	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tf.Printer.(*testPrinter).Objects[0].(*api.Pod).Labels, map[string]string{"a": "b"}) {
-		t.Errorf("did not set labels: %#v", string(buf.Bytes()))
+	if !strings.Contains(buf.String(), "labeled") {
+		t.Errorf("did not set labels: %s", buf.String())
 	}
 }
 
 func TestLabelMultipleObjects(t *testing.T) {
 	pods, _, _ := testData()
-
 	f, tf, codec := NewAPIFactory()
-	tf.Printer = &testPrinter{}
 	tf.Client = &client.FakeRESTClient{
 		Codec: codec,
 		Client: client.HTTPClientFunc(func(req *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
@@ -412,19 +401,15 @@ func TestLabelMultipleObjects(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	tf.Namespace = "test"
 	tf.ClientConfig = &client.Config{Version: testapi.Version()}
+
 	buf := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte{})
-
 	cmd := NewCmdLabel(f, buf)
-
 	cmd.Flags().Set("all", "true")
+
 	if err := RunLabel(f, buf, cmd, []string{"pods", "a=b"}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 	}
-
-	if tf.Printer.(*testPrinter).Objects == nil {
-		t.Errorf("unexpected non print to default printer")
-	}
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(tf.Printer.(*testPrinter).Objects[0].(*api.Pod).Labels, map[string]string{"a": "b"}) {
-		t.Errorf("did not set labels: %#v", string(buf.Bytes()))
+	if strings.Count(buf.String(), "labeled") != len(pods.Items) {
+		t.Errorf("not all labels are set: %s", buf.String())
 	}
 }