diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
index 14fa2c6a51..bfd50e0899 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/patch.go
@@ -306,7 +306,15 @@ func getPatchedJSON(patchType types.PatchType, originalJS, patchJS []byte, gvk s
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		return patchObj.Apply(originalJS)
+		bytes, err := patchObj.Apply(originalJS)
+		// TODO: This is pretty hacky, we need a better structured error from the json-patch
+		if err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "doc is missing key") {
+			msg := err.Error()
+			ix := strings.Index(msg, "key:")
+			key := msg[ix+5:]
+			return bytes, fmt.Errorf("Object to be patched is missing field (%s)", key)
+		}
+		return bytes, err
 
 	case types.MergePatchType:
 		return jsonpatch.MergePatch(originalJS, patchJS)