diff --git a/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy.go b/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy.go
index 5d483f454..52d1af7fc 100644
--- a/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy.go
+++ b/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func (t FieldCopyMod) copyIntoMap(obj map[string]interface{}, fullPath Path, src
 
 		val, found, err := t.obtainValue(srcRes.unstructured().Object, fullPath)
 		if err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("Obtaining value from '%s': %s", src, err)
+			return false, err
 		} else if !found {
 			continue
 		}
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (t FieldCopyMod) obtainValue(obj interface{}, path Path) (interface{}, bool
 		case part.MapKey != nil:
 			typedObj, ok := obj.(map[string]interface{})
 			if !ok {
-				return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected non-map found for key '%s': %T", *part.MapKey, obj)
+				return nil, false, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected non-map found: %T", obj)
 			}
 
 			var found bool
@@ -167,10 +167,6 @@ func (t FieldCopyMod) obtainValue(obj interface{}, path Path) (interface{}, bool
 			if !found {
 				return nil, false, nil // index is not found return
 			}
-			// TODO check strictness?
-			if !isLast && obj == nil {
-				return nil, false, nil // expected to be a map but was a nil value, return
-			}
 
 		case part.ArrayIndex != nil:
 			if isLast {
diff --git a/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy_test.go b/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy_test.go
index 1d502d81c..762b785d0 100644
--- a/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy_test.go
+++ b/pkg/kapp/resources/mod_field_copy_test.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ metadata:
     label-key: existing-label-val`,
 		},
 		{
-			Description: "when destination is non-map",
+			Description: "copy from existing, when destination is non-map",
 			Res: `
 metadata:
   labels: null`,
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ metadata:
 metadata:
   labels:
     label-key: new-label-val`,
-			Sources: []ctlres.FieldCopyModSource{ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceNew, ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceExisting},
+			Sources: []ctlres.FieldCopyModSource{ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceExisting},
 			Path:    ctlres.NewPathFromStrings([]string{"metadata", "labels", "label-key"}),
 			NewRes: `
 metadata:
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ metadata:
 			Expected: `
 metadata:
   labels: null`,
-			Sources: []ctlres.FieldCopyModSource{ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceNew, ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceExisting},
+			Sources: []ctlres.FieldCopyModSource{ctlres.FieldCopyModSourceExisting},
 			Path:    ctlres.NewPathFromStrings([]string{"metadata", "labels", "label-key"}),
 			NewRes: `
 metadata: