diff --git a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
index 78dba3913..f0b4db87b 100644
--- a/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
+++ b/pkg/target/kusttarget.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
-	"log"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
@@ -64,12 +63,9 @@ func NewKustTarget(
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	msgs, errs := k.EnforceFields()
+	errs := k.EnforceFields()
 	if len(errs) > 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf(strings.Join(errs, "\n"))
-	}
-	if len(msgs) > 0 {
-		log.Printf(strings.Join(msgs, "\n"))
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Failed to read kustomization file under %s:\n"+strings.Join(errs, "\n"), ldr.Root())
 	}
 	return &KustTarget{
 		kustomization: &k,
diff --git a/pkg/types/kustomization.go b/pkg/types/kustomization.go
index c78fb9f89..12d09820f 100644
--- a/pkg/types/kustomization.go
+++ b/pkg/types/kustomization.go
@@ -146,19 +146,15 @@ func (k *Kustomization) DealWithMissingFields() []string {
 	return msgs
 }
 
-func (k *Kustomization) EnforceFields() ([]string, []string) {
-	var msgs, errs []string
-	if k.APIVersion == "" {
-		msgs = append(msgs, "apiVersion is not defined. This will not be allowed in the next release.\nPlease run `kustomize edit fix`")
-	} else if k.APIVersion != KustomizationVersion {
+func (k *Kustomization) EnforceFields() []string {
+	var errs []string
+	if k.APIVersion != "" && k.APIVersion != KustomizationVersion {
 		errs = append(errs, "apiVersion should be "+KustomizationVersion)
 	}
-	if k.Kind == "" {
-		msgs = append(msgs, "kind is not defined. This will not be allowed in the next release.\nPlease run `kustomize edit fix`")
-	} else if k.Kind != KustomizationKind {
+	if k.Kind != "" && k.Kind != KustomizationKind {
 		errs = append(errs, "kind should be "+KustomizationKind)
 	}
-	return msgs, errs
+	return errs
 }
 
 // DealWithDeprecatedFields should be called immediately after