diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
index a0890fc67..7f3c58930 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/cmdcreatesetter_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ openAPI:
           name: replicas
           value: "3"
           setBy: me
+          count: 1
  `,
 			expectedResources: `
 apiVersion: apps/v1
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ openAPI:
           name: replicas
           value: "3"
           setBy: me
+          count: 1
  `,
 			expectedResources: `
 apiVersion: apps/v1
@@ -188,6 +190,7 @@ openAPI:
           - b
           - c
           setBy: me
+          count: 2
  `,
 			expectedResources: `
 apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
@@ -287,6 +290,7 @@ openAPI:
           - b
           - c
           setBy: me
+          count: 1
  `,
 			expectedResources: `
 apiVersion: example.com/v1beta1
@@ -326,6 +330,7 @@ openAPI:
           name: replicas
           value: "3"
           setBy: me
+          count: 1
  `,
 			expectedResources: `
 apiVersion: apps/v1
diff --git a/cmd/config/internal/commands/e2e/create_setter_test.go b/cmd/config/internal/commands/e2e/create_setter_test.go
index 999ec0eeb..9cfeacc3a 100644
--- a/cmd/config/internal/commands/e2e/create_setter_test.go
+++ b/cmd/config/internal/commands/e2e/create_setter_test.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ openAPI:
         setter:
           name: replicas
           value: "3"
+          count: 1
 `,
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/kyaml/setters2/add.go b/kyaml/setters2/add.go
index bd8055a60..9ed06bdc3 100644
--- a/kyaml/setters2/add.go
+++ b/kyaml/setters2/add.go
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ type Add struct {
 
 	// Type is the type of the setter value
 	Type string
+
+  // Count is the number of fields the setter applies to
+  Count int
 }
 
 // Filter implements yaml.Filter
@@ -85,6 +88,7 @@ func (a *Add) visitMapping(object *yaml.RNode, p string, _ *openapi.ResourceSche
 					"encountered different array values for specified field path: %s, %s", values, a.ListValues)
 			}
 			a.ListValues = values
+			a.Count++
 			return a.addRef(node.Key)
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -104,6 +108,7 @@ func (a *Add) visitScalar(object *yaml.RNode, p string, _ *openapi.ResourceSchem
 	if a.FieldValue != "" && a.FieldValue != object.YNode().Value {
 		return nil
 	}
+  a.Count++
 	return a.addRef(object)
 }
 
diff --git a/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go b/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
index f49cf57ef..ba6d9cc67 100644
--- a/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
+++ b/kyaml/setters2/settersutil/settercreator.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package settersutil
 import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 
+	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/errors"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/fieldmeta"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/kio"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/kustomize/kyaml/openapi"
@@ -18,10 +19,10 @@ type SetterCreator struct {
 	// Name is the name of the setter to create or update.
 	Name string
 
-	Description string
-
 	SetBy string
 
+	Description string
+
 	Type string
 
 	SchemaPath string
@@ -49,19 +50,6 @@ func (c SetterCreator) Create(openAPIPath, resourcesPath string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	// Update the OpenAPI definitions to hace the setter
-	sd := setters2.SetterDefinition{
-		Name: c.Name, Value: c.FieldValue, Description: c.Description, SetBy: c.SetBy,
-		Type: c.Type, Schema: schema, Required: c.Required,
-	}
-	if err := sd.AddToFile(openAPIPath); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Load the updated definitions
-	if err := openapi.AddSchemaFromFile(openAPIPath); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 
 	// Update the resources with the setter reference
 	inout := &kio.LocalPackageReadWriter{PackagePath: resourcesPath}
@@ -76,11 +64,26 @@ func (c SetterCreator) Create(openAPIPath, resourcesPath string) error {
 		Filters: []kio.Filter{kio.FilterAll(a)},
 		Outputs: []kio.Writer{inout},
 	}.Execute()
-
+	if a.Count == 0 {
+		return errors.Errorf("created setter doesn't match any fields")
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Update the OpenAPI definitions to hace the setter
+	sd := setters2.SetterDefinition{
+		Name: c.Name, Value: c.FieldValue, SetBy: c.SetBy, Description: c.Description,
+    Count: a.Count, Type: c.Type, Schema: schema, Required: c.Required,
+	}
+	if err := sd.AddToFile(openAPIPath); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// Load the updated definitions
+	if err := openapi.AddSchemaFromFile(openAPIPath); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	// if the setter is of array type write the derived list values back to
 	// openAPI definitions
 	if len(a.ListValues) > 0 {