This string of actions taken by Masakado is described as frivolous in the "Masakado Ki," which states, "Thus, the New Emperor demonstrated that he was not a man of the world, but more like a big fish in a small pond," and in fact, considering the fate Masakado was later to meet, it can be said that the fact that he spent an undue amount of time and military power searching for Sadamori at a critical juncture when he should have been solidifying his own base, proved a fatal error.
『将門記』では「然ルニ新皇ハ、井ノ底ノ浅キ励ミヲ案ジテ、堺ノ外ノ広キ謀ヲ存ゼズ。」と、この将門の一連の行動を”浅はか”であると評しており、事実その足場を固めねばならない大事な時期に貞盛らの捜索のために無駄に時間と兵力を使ったことは、後々の運命を見ると致命的となったと言える。