diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
index 03c716b2362..4ff2d4793bb 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/verifier.cpp
@@ -3149,7 +3149,7 @@ void ClassVerifier::verify_return_value(
   if (return_type == VerificationType::bogus_type()) {
     verify_error(ErrorContext::bad_type(bci,
         current_frame->stack_top_ctx(), TypeOrigin::signature(return_type)),
-        "Method expects a return value");
+        "Method does not expect a return value");
     return;
   }
   bool match = return_type.is_assignable_from(type, this, false, CHECK_VERIFY(this));
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/ReturnMsgs.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/ReturnMsgs.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1489c801216
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/ReturnMsgs.java
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * @test
+ * @bug 8262368
+ * @summary Test that VerifyError messages are correct when return bytecodes
+ *          andd method signatures do not match.
+ * @compile Returns.jasm
+ * @run main/othervm -Xverify ReturnMsgs
+ */
+
+public class ReturnMsgs {
+
+    public static void main(String args[]) throws Throwable {
+        System.out.println("Regression test for bug 8262368");
+
+        try {
+            // Test message for class with a void return type in its method
+            // descriptor, containing an 'ireturn' bytecode.
+            Class newClass = Class.forName("VoidReturnSignature");
+            throw new RuntimeException("Expected VerifyError exception not thrown");
+        } catch (java.lang.VerifyError e) {
+            String eMsg = e.getMessage();
+            if (!eMsg.contains("Method does not expect a return value")) {
+                throw new RuntimeException("Unexpected exception message: " + eMsg);
+            }
+        }
+
+        try {
+            // Test message for class with a non-void return type in its
+            // method descriptor, containing a 'return' bytecode.
+            Class newClass = Class.forName("NonVoidReturnSignature");
+            throw new RuntimeException("Expected VerifyError exception not thrown");
+        } catch (java.lang.VerifyError e) {
+            String eMsg = e.getMessage();
+            if (!eMsg.contains("Method expects a return value")) {
+                throw new RuntimeException("Unexpected exception message: " + eMsg);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/Returns.jasm b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/Returns.jasm
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bd218d59dce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/verifier/Returns.jasm
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+// This class should fail verification because method voidRetSig has a void
+// return signature and an ireturn bytecode.
+super public class VoidReturnSignature version 61:0 {
+    public Method "<init>":"()V" stack 1 locals 1 {
+        aload_0;
+        invokespecial Method java/lang/Object."<init>":"()V";
+        return;
+    }
+
+    static Method voidRetSig:"(I)V" stack 1 locals 1 {
+        iconst_5;
+        ireturn;
+    }
+
+    public static Method main:"([Ljava/lang/String;)V" throws java/lang/Throwable stack 0 locals 1 {
+        return;
+    }
+
+} // end Class VoidReturnSignature
+
+
+
+// This class should fail verification because method nonVoidReturnSig has
+// a non-void return signature and a return bytecode.
+super public class NonVoidReturnSignature version 61:0 {
+    public Method "<init>":"()V" stack 1 locals 1 {
+        aload_0;
+        invokespecial    Method java/lang/Object."<init>":"()V";
+        return;
+    }
+
+    static Method nonVoidReturnSig:"(I)I" stack 1 locals 1 {
+        iconst_5;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    public static Method main:"([Ljava/lang/String;)V" throws java/lang/Throwable stack 0 locals 1 {
+        return;
+    }
+
+} // end Class NonVoidReturnSignature