diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
index d1f61ea3..edfb638c 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def pretty_cmd(cmd: list[str], wd=None):
         if token.find(' ') != -1:
             token = '"' + token + '"'
         tokens.append(token)
-    ret = '>' + ' '.join(tokens) + '<'
+    ret = ' '.join(tokens)
     if wd is not None:
         ret += f' in {wd}'
     return ret
@@ -60,15 +60,17 @@ async def run_cmd(
 
     want_bytes = (output_encoding == "bytes")
 
-    def __log(prio, *args):
+    def __log(prio, *args, verbose=verbose):
         if verbose:
             log(prio, "|", *args)
 
-    def __check_exit_code(code):
-        if code != 0 and (throw or verbose):
-            msg = f'Command returned error {code}: {pretty_cmd(args, wd)}'
-            if verbose:
-                __log(ERR, msg)
+    def __check_exit_code(code: int, stdout=None, stderr=None):
+        if code == 0:
+            return
+        if (throw or verbose):
+            msg = f'Command returned error {code}: {pretty_cmd(args, wd)}: '
+            if stderr:
+                msg += stderr.strip()
             if throw:
                 raise RuntimeError(msg)
 
@@ -188,7 +190,8 @@ async def run_cmd(
 
         exit_code = await proc.wait()
         await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
-        __check_exit_code(exit_code)
+        if want_bytes:
+            __check_exit_code(exit_code)
 
         stdout_b = b"".join(stdout_parts_b) if stdout_parts_b else None
         stderr_b = b"".join(stderr_parts_b) if stderr_parts_b else None
@@ -205,6 +208,10 @@ async def run_cmd(
 
         stdout_s = stdout_b.decode(stdout_dec_enc, errors="replace") if stdout_b is not None else None
         stderr_s = stderr_b.decode(stderr_dec_enc, errors="replace") if stderr_b is not None else None
+
+        if not want_bytes:
+            __check_exit_code(exit_code, stdout=stdout_s, stderr=stderr_s)
+
         return stdout_s, stderr_s
 
     finally: