diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/App.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/App.py
index 028dbd38..1fb2b754 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/App.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/App.py
@@ -116,10 +116,7 @@ class App: # export
         try:
             ret = await self._run(self.__args)
         except Exception as e:
-            if hasattr(e, 'message'):
-                log(ERR, e.message)
-            else:
-                log(ERR, f'Exception: {type(e)}: {e}')
+            log(ERR, repr(e) if self.__back_trace else str(e))
             exit_status = 1
             if self.__back_trace:
                 raise
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/Cmd.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/Cmd.py
index 646e3c85..a5cdf489 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/Cmd.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/Cmd.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Cmd(abc.ABC): # export
                     self.__children.append(cmd)
                     assert len(self.__children) == len(self.__child_classes)
             except Exception as e:
-                cmds.dump(ERR, f"Failed to add subcommands ({e})")
+                cmds.dump(ERR, f"Failed to add subcommands ({str(e)})")
                 raise
             return
         raise Exception(f'Tried to add sub-commands of unknown type {type(cmds)}')
diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/lib/util.py
index 8a6c2cc2..06722b37 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
@@ -57,10 +57,7 @@ async def run_cmd(
 
     def __check_exit_code(code):
         if code != 0 and (throw or verbose):
-            msg = (
-                time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M")
-                + f': Command returned error {code}: "{pretty_cmd(args, wd)}"'
-            )
+            msg = f'Command returned error {code}: {pretty_cmd(args, wd)}'
             if verbose:
                 __log(ERR, msg)
             if throw:
@@ -184,7 +181,7 @@ async def run_curl(args: list[str], parse_json: bool=True, wd=None, throw=None,
                 size = len(ret)
             except:
                 pass
-            print(f'Failed to parse {size} bytes output of command >{pretty_cmd(cmd, wd)}< ({e})', file=sys.stderr)
+            print(f'Failed to parse {size} bytes output of command >{pretty_cmd(cmd, wd)}< ({str(e)})', file=sys.stderr)
             raise
     return ret