diff --git a/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go b/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
index 43cad97e5..bb929059f 100644
--- a/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
+++ b/kyaml/yaml/rnode.go
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ func deAnchor(yn *yaml.Node) (res *yaml.Node, err error) {
 		}
 		return yn, nil
 	default:
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot deAnchor kind %q", yn.Kind)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot deAnchor kind %d", yn.Kind)
 	}
 }