diff --git a/pkg/generate/app/cmd/describe.go b/pkg/generate/app/cmd/describe.go
index e796dfb6dd94..371555295796 100644
--- a/pkg/generate/app/cmd/describe.go
+++ b/pkg/generate/app/cmd/describe.go
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ func displayName(meta kapi.ObjectMeta) string {
 }
 
 func localOrRemoteName(meta kapi.ObjectMeta, namespace string) string {
-	if len(meta.Namespace) == 0 || namespace == meta.Namespace {
+	if len(meta.Namespace) == 0 {
 		return meta.Name
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%q in project %q", meta.Name, meta.Namespace)
+	return meta.Namespace + "/" + meta.Name
 }
 
 func extractFirstImageStreamTag(newOnly bool, images ...*app.ImageRef) string {
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ func describeLocatedImage(refInput *app.ComponentInput, baseNamespace string) st
 			if !image.Created.IsZero() {
 				shortID = fmt.Sprintf("%s (%s old)", shortID, describe.FormatRelativeTime(image.Created.Time))
 			}
-			return fmt.Sprintf("Found image %s in image stream %s under tag %q for %q", shortID, localOrRemoteName(match.ImageStream.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace), match.ImageTag, refInput)
+			return fmt.Sprintf("Found image %s in image stream %q under tag %q for %q", shortID, localOrRemoteName(match.ImageStream.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace), match.ImageTag, refInput)
 		}
-		return fmt.Sprintf("Found tag :%s in image stream %s for %q", match.ImageTag, localOrRemoteName(match.ImageStream.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace), refInput)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("Found tag :%s in image stream %q for %q", match.ImageTag, localOrRemoteName(match.ImageStream.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace), refInput)
 	case match.Image != nil:
 		image := match.Image
 		shortID := imageapi.ShortDockerImageID(image, 7)
@@ -278,10 +278,10 @@ func describeGeneratedJob(out io.Writer, ref app.ComponentReference, pod *kapi.P
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * %s\n", locatedImage)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * Install will run in pod %s\n", localOrRemoteName(pod.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace))
+	fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * Install will run in pod %q\n", localOrRemoteName(pod.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace))
 	switch {
 	case secret != nil:
-		fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * The pod has access to your current session token through the secret %s.\n", localOrRemoteName(secret.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace))
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * The pod has access to your current session token through the secret %q.\n", localOrRemoteName(secret.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace))
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "      If you cancel the install, you should delete the secret or log out of your session.\n")
 	case hasToken && generatorInput.Token.Env != nil:
 		fmt.Fprintf(out, "    * The pod has access to your current session token via environment variable %s.\n", *generatorInput.Token.Env)
diff --git a/pkg/generate/app/cmd/template.go b/pkg/generate/app/cmd/template.go
index 04352e49ffba..9258ea244a6b 100644
--- a/pkg/generate/app/cmd/template.go
+++ b/pkg/generate/app/cmd/template.go
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ func TransformTemplate(tpl *templateapi.Template, client client.TemplateConfigsN
 	// transform the template
 	result, err := client.TemplateConfigs(namespace).Create(tpl)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error processing template %s: %v", name, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error processing template %q: %v", name, err)
 	}
 
 	// ensure the template objects are decoded
 	// TODO: in the future, this should be more automatic
 	if errs := runtime.DecodeList(result.Objects, kapi.Codecs.UniversalDecoder()); len(errs) > 0 {
 		err = errors.NewAggregate(errs)
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error processing template %s: %v", name, err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error processing template %q: %v", name, err)
 	}
 
 	return result, nil
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ func TransformTemplate(tpl *templateapi.Template, client client.TemplateConfigsN
 func DescribeGeneratedTemplate(out io.Writer, input string, result *templateapi.Template, baseNamespace string) {
 	qualifiedName := localOrRemoteName(result.ObjectMeta, baseNamespace)
 	if len(input) > 0 && result.ObjectMeta.Name != input {
-		fmt.Fprintf(out, "--> Deploying template %s for %q\n", qualifiedName, input)
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "--> Deploying template %q for %q to project %s\n", qualifiedName, input, baseNamespace)
 	} else {
-		fmt.Fprintf(out, "--> Deploying template %s\n", qualifiedName)
+		fmt.Fprintf(out, "--> Deploying template %q to project %s\n", qualifiedName, baseNamespace)
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(out)