diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go b/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
index 6aca5a18f3..233b13f5cb 100644
--- a/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
+++ b/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kubeadm/app"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	if err := app.Run(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
diff --git a/cmd/kubectl/kubectl.go b/cmd/kubectl/kubectl.go
index 3fce17f408..5864a5ae68 100644
--- a/cmd/kubectl/kubectl.go
+++ b/cmd/kubectl/kubectl.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/cmd/kubectl/app"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 func main() {
 	if err := app.Run(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 	os.Exit(0)
diff --git a/cmd/kubelet/kubelet.go b/cmd/kubelet/kubelet.go
index d26d213e5e..c1e1e11f17 100644
--- a/cmd/kubelet/kubelet.go
+++ b/cmd/kubelet/kubelet.go
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// run the kubelet
 	if err := app.Run(kubeletServer, kubeletDeps); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		die(err)
 	}
 }