diff --git a/backup.sh b/backup.sh
index e4bcfabdf07088b08d95c4d46b979e7aa01ab959..86f1ebda632769447c3f1a85c173c06f38381d60 100755
--- a/backup.sh
+++ b/backup.sh
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ do
             echo "Param: setting to AUTO on duplicity"
             echo "$2" | grep "^[1-9][0-9]*[a-zA-Z]$" 2>/dev/null
             if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
-                echo "ERROR: the value after $1 must be a number and a letter (for unit); i.e. 1M for 1 month"
+                >&2 echo "ERROR: the value after $1 must be a number and a letter (for unit); i.e. 1M for 1 month"
                 exit 1
             else
                 JOBDEF_TYPE=auto
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ do
             bStart=1
             ;;
         *)
-            echo "ERROR: parameter [$1] is unknown"
+            >&2 echo "ERROR: parameter [$1] is unknown"
             showHelp
             exit 1 
     esac
diff --git a/jobhelper.sh b/jobhelper.sh
index 130925715778b5817f529b28ba9c361648546d6f..1158e2c128b78724bb9def2a68a1d34d4db5e203 100755
--- a/jobhelper.sh
+++ b/jobhelper.sh
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ function j_init(){
 
   if [ ! -d "${DIR_JOBS}" ]; then
     # mkdir -p ${DIR_JOBS} && echo "INFO: dir created ${DIR_JOBS}"
-    echo "ERROR: missing jobs directory. Aborting."
+    >&2 echo "ERROR: missing jobs directory. Aborting."
     exit 1
   fi
 
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ function j_getSafename(){
 # ------------------------------------------------------------
 function _j_getvar(){
   if [ ! -r "${1}" ]; then
-    echo "ERROR: cannot read file: ${1}. Abort."
+    >&2 echo "ERROR: cannot read file: ${1}. Abort."
     exit 100
   fi
   grep "^${2}\ =\ " < "${1}"| cut -f 3- -d " "
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ function j_requireProcess(){
 function j_requireUser(){
   sUser=$(id | cut -f 2 -d "(" | cut -f 1 -d ")")
   if [[ "$sUser" != "$1" ]]; then
-    echo "ERROR: user $1 is reqired."
+    >&2 echo "ERROR: user $1 is reqired."
     exit 5
   fi
 }