diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/check/expr.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/check/expr.rs
index d139cd4264c86..a53fb12367d0e 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/check/expr.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/check/expr.rs
@@ -1392,12 +1392,17 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'tcx> {
         base_did: DefId,
     ) {
         let struct_path = self.tcx().def_path_str(base_did);
+        let kind_name = match self.tcx().def_kind(base_did) {
+            Some(def_kind) => def_kind.descr(base_did),
+            _ => " ",
+        };
         let mut err = struct_span_err!(
             self.tcx().sess,
             expr.span,
             E0616,
-            "field `{}` of struct `{}` is private",
+            "field `{}` of {} `{}` is private",
             field,
+            kind_name,
             struct_path
         );
         // Also check if an accessible method exists, which is often what is meant.
diff --git a/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.rs b/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.rs
index 48279630c6302..c2458f74bc8f9 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.rs
+++ b/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.rs
@@ -11,5 +11,5 @@ fn main() {
 
     let a = u.a; // OK
     let b = u.b; // OK
-    let c = u.c; //~ ERROR field `c` of struct `m::U` is private
+    let c = u.c; //~ ERROR field `c` of union `m::U` is private
 }
diff --git a/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.stderr b/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.stderr
index df054b8cff8a6..8789178caac26 100644
--- a/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.stderr
+++ b/src/test/ui/privacy/union-field-privacy-2.stderr
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-error[E0616]: field `c` of struct `m::U` is private
+error[E0616]: field `c` of union `m::U` is private
   --> $DIR/union-field-privacy-2.rs:14:13
    |
 LL |     let c = u.c;