diff --git a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ReservoirSample.java b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ReservoirSample.java
index f50b81154e1c..aa7a84b1ac2b 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ReservoirSample.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/ReservoirSample.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class ReservoirSample<T> {
   private int n;
 
   public ReservoirSample(int k) {
-    Preconditions.checkArgument(k > 0, "negative sampling number(%d) is not allowed");
+    Preconditions.checkArgument(k > 0, "negative sampling number(%s) is not allowed", k);
     r = new ArrayList<>(k);
     this.k = k;
   }
diff --git a/hbase-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/TestReservoirSample.java b/hbase-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/TestReservoirSample.java
index 6192edfa036a..d7ea0c5ac0cb 100644
--- a/hbase-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/TestReservoirSample.java
+++ b/hbase-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/util/TestReservoirSample.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertThrows;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import java.util.stream.IntStream;
@@ -89,4 +90,11 @@ public void testStream() {
     assertTrue(containsOne > round / 10 * 0.95);
     assertTrue(containsOne < round / 10 * 1.05);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testNegativeSamplingNumber() {
+    IllegalArgumentException e =
+      assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> new ReservoirSample<Integer>(-1));
+    assertEquals("negative sampling number(-1) is not allowed", e.getMessage());
+  }
 }