diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors.go
index 39f13e34765..f2a983aebf6 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors.go
@@ -107,8 +107,8 @@ func (e *Error) ErrorBody() string {
 			s = fmt.Sprintf("%s: %s", e.Type, valstr)
 		}
 	default:
-		// NOTE: This panics if we find a code that truly is not supported.
-		s = e.Type.String()
+		internal := InternalError(nil, fmt.Errorf("unhandled error code: %s: please report this", e.Type))
+		s = internal.ErrorBody()
 	}
 	if len(e.Detail) != 0 {
 		s += fmt.Sprintf(": %s", e.Detail)
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ func (t ErrorType) String() string {
 	case ErrorTypeTypeInvalid:
 		return "Invalid value"
 	default:
-		panic(fmt.Sprintf("unrecognized validation error: %q", string(t)))
+		return fmt.Sprintf("<unknown error %q>", string(t))
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors_test.go
index a1b57c1c5f7..a8c7052f9fb 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/validation/field/errors_test.go
@@ -630,6 +630,17 @@ func TestErrorFormatting(t *testing.T) {
 			CoveredByDeclarative: true,
 		},
 		expect: `path.to.field: Invalid value: field.SelfMarshalerNonStringer{S:"visible"}: the details`,
+	}, {
+		name: "unknown error type",
+		input: &Error{
+			Type:                 "not real",
+			Field:                "path.to.field",
+			BadValue:             SelfMarshalerNonStringer{"visible"},
+			Detail:               "the details",
+			Origin:               "theOrigin",
+			CoveredByDeclarative: true,
+		},
+		expect: `path.to.field: Internal error: unhandled error code: <unknown error "not real">: please report this: the details`,
 	}}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {