diff --git a/cmd/kops/replace.go b/cmd/kops/replace.go
index cfdf97f270..b137d01b1c 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/replace.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/replace.go
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func RunReplace(f *util.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, out io.Writer, c *replaceOp
 				}
 			default:
 				klog.V(2).Infof("Type of object was %T", v)
-				return fmt.Errorf("Unhandled kind %q in %q", gvk, f)
+				return fmt.Errorf("unhandled kind %q in %q", gvk, f)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/kops/root.go b/cmd/kops/root.go
index 98853d43ca..8127db9895 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/root.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/root.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (c *RootCmd) ProcessArgs(args []string) error {
 	fmt.Printf("For example: use `--bastion=true` or `--bastion`, not `--bastion true`\n\n")
 
 	if len(args) == 1 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Cannot specify cluster via --name and positional argument")
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot specify cluster via --name and positional argument")
 	}
 	return fmt.Errorf("expected a single <clustername> to be passed as an argument")
 }
diff --git a/cmd/kops/toolbox_bundle.go b/cmd/kops/toolbox_bundle.go
index 84a10753c8..7fb68d7fa9 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/toolbox_bundle.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/toolbox_bundle.go
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ func NewCmdToolboxBundle(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 
 func RunToolboxBundle(context Factory, out io.Writer, options *ToolboxBundleOptions, args []string) error {
 	if len(args) == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Specify name of instance group for node")
+		return fmt.Errorf("specify name of instance group for node")
 	}
 	if len(args) != 1 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Can only specify one instance group")
+		return fmt.Errorf("can only specify one instance group")
 	}
 
 	if options.Target == "" {
diff --git a/cmd/kops/toolbox_convert_imported.go b/cmd/kops/toolbox_convert_imported.go
index 562e871e64..6c376a369f 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/toolbox_convert_imported.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/toolbox_convert_imported.go
@@ -132,18 +132,18 @@ func RunToolboxConvertImported(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer, options *ToolboxC
 
 	// TODO: Switch to cloudup.BuildCloud
 	if len(cluster.Spec.Subnets) == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Configuration must include Subnets")
+		return fmt.Errorf("configuration must include Subnets")
 	}
 
 	region := ""
 	for _, subnet := range cluster.Spec.Subnets {
 		if len(subnet.Name) <= 2 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Invalid AWS zone: %q", subnet.Zone)
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid AWS zone: %q", subnet.Zone)
 		}
 
 		zoneRegion := subnet.Zone[:len(subnet.Zone)-1]
 		if region != "" && zoneRegion != region {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Clusters cannot span multiple regions")
+			return fmt.Errorf("clusters cannot span multiple regions")
 		}
 
 		region = zoneRegion
diff --git a/cmd/kops/toolbox_dump.go b/cmd/kops/toolbox_dump.go
index aa8e734a7b..0b7a70082d 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/toolbox_dump.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/toolbox_dump.go
@@ -142,6 +142,6 @@ func RunToolboxDump(f *util.Factory, out io.Writer, options *ToolboxDumpOptions)
 		return nil
 
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("Unsupported output format: %q", options.Output)
+		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported output format: %q", options.Output)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/kops/update_cluster.go b/cmd/kops/update_cluster.go
index 28074fc23c..9a5a99288d 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/update_cluster.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/update_cluster.go
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ func RunUpdateCluster(f *util.Factory, clusterName string, out io.Writer, c *Upd
 	for _, override := range c.LifecycleOverrides {
 		values := strings.Split(override, "=")
 		if len(values) != 2 {
-			return results, fmt.Errorf("Incorrect syntax for lifecyle-overrides, correct syntax is TaskName=lifecycleName, override provided: %q", override)
+			return results, fmt.Errorf("incorrect syntax for lifecyle-overrides, correct syntax is TaskName=lifecycleName, override provided: %q", override)
 		}
 
 		taskName := values[0]
diff --git a/cmd/kops/util/factory.go b/cmd/kops/util/factory.go
index 20aa551014..107cd34aaa 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/util/factory.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/util/factory.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (f *Factory) Clientset() (simple.Clientset, error) {
 			} else {
 				u, err := url.Parse(registryPath)
 				if err != nil {
-					return nil, fmt.Errorf("Invalid kops server url: %q", registryPath)
+					return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid kops server url: %q", registryPath)
 				}
 				configOverrides.CurrentContext = u.Host
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/kops/validate_cluster.go b/cmd/kops/validate_cluster.go
index a4f99a9a3f..32cc5fd099 100644
--- a/cmd/kops/validate_cluster.go
+++ b/cmd/kops/validate_cluster.go
@@ -136,12 +136,12 @@ func RunValidateCluster(f *util.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, out
 		configLoadingRules,
 		&clientcmd.ConfigOverrides{CurrentContext: contextName}).ClientConfig()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Cannot load kubecfg settings for %q: %v", contextName, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot load kubecfg settings for %q: %v", contextName, err)
 	}
 
 	k8sClient, err := kubernetes.NewForConfig(config)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Cannot build kubernetes api client for %q: %v", contextName, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("cannot build kubernetes api client for %q: %v", contextName, err)
 	}
 
 	timeout := time.Now().Add(options.wait)
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func RunValidateCluster(f *util.Factory, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, out
 			}
 
 		default:
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unknown output format: %q", options.output)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown output format: %q", options.output)
 		}
 
 		if options.wait == 0 || len(result.Failures) == 0 {
@@ -264,12 +264,10 @@ func validateClusterOutputTable(result *validation.ValidationCluster, cluster *a
 		if err := failuresTable.Render(result.Failures, out, "KIND", "NAME", "MESSAGE"); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error rendering failures table: %v", err)
 		}
-	}
 
-	if len(result.Failures) == 0 {
-		fmt.Fprintf(out, "\nYour cluster %s is ready\n", cluster.Name)
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "\nValidation Failed\n")
 	} else {
-		fmt.Fprint(out, "\nValidation Failed\n")
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "\nYour cluster %s is ready\n", cluster.Name)
 	}
 
 	return nil