diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/CheckAnalysis.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/CheckAnalysis.scala
index 286794c0eeaf..02031e758d83 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/CheckAnalysis.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/CheckAnalysis.scala
@@ -433,6 +433,9 @@ trait CheckAnalysis extends PredicateHelper {
             throw new IllegalStateException(
               "Internal error: logical hint operator should have been removed during analysis")
 
+          case InsertIntoTable(u: UnresolvedRelation, _, _, _, _) =>
+            failAnalysis(s"Table not found: ${u.multipartIdentifier.quoted}")
+
           case f @ Filter(condition, _)
             if PlanHelper.specialExpressionsInUnsupportedOperator(f).nonEmpty =>
             val invalidExprSqls = PlanHelper.specialExpressionsInUnsupportedOperator(f).map(_.sql)
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/AnalysisSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/AnalysisSuite.scala
index 34ea6d5404ae..74445a111e4d 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/AnalysisSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/analysis/AnalysisSuite.scala
@@ -645,4 +645,9 @@ class AnalysisSuite extends AnalysisTest with Matchers {
       Seq("Number of column aliases does not match number of columns. Number of column aliases: " +
         "2; number of columns: 1."))
   }
+
+  test("SPARK-28251: Insert into non-existing table error message is user friendly") {
+    assertAnalysisError(parsePlan("INSERT INTO test VALUES (1)"),
+      Seq("Table not found: test"))
+  }
 }