diff --git a/pandas/io/json/_normalize.py b/pandas/io/json/_normalize.py
index b1e2210f9d894..7e3e83d59c87c 100644
--- a/pandas/io/json/_normalize.py
+++ b/pandas/io/json/_normalize.py
@@ -427,8 +427,8 @@ def _pull_records(js: dict[str, Any], spec: list | str) -> list:
                 result = []
             else:
                 raise TypeError(
-                    f"{js} has non list value {result} for path {spec}. "
-                    "Must be list or null."
+                    f"Path must contain list or null, "
+                    f"but got {type(result).__name__} at {repr(spec)}"
                 )
         return result
 
diff --git a/pandas/tests/io/json/test_normalize.py b/pandas/tests/io/json/test_normalize.py
index 7914d40ea8aaa..0f33883feba3a 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/io/json/test_normalize.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/io/json/test_normalize.py
@@ -526,8 +526,8 @@ def test_non_list_record_path_errors(self, value):
         test_input = {"state": "Texas", "info": parsed_value}
         test_path = "info"
         msg = (
-            f"{test_input} has non list value {parsed_value} for path {test_path}. "
-            "Must be list or null."
+            f"Path must contain list or null, "
+            f"but got {type(parsed_value).__name__} at 'info'"
         )
         with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=msg):
             json_normalize([test_input], record_path=[test_path])