diff --git a/lib/privs.c b/lib/privs.c
index f3a15ce..71e2c7f 100644
--- a/lib/privs.c
+++ b/lib/privs.c
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@
 
   if (!zprivs)
     {
-      zlog_err ("zprivs_init: called with NULL arg!");
+      fprintf (stderr, "zprivs_init: called with NULL arg!\n");
       exit (1);
     }
 
@@ -197,7 +197,9 @@
         }
       else
         {
-          zlog_err ("privs_init: could not lookup supplied user");
+          /* cant use log.h here as it depends on vty */
+          fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: could not lookup user %s\n",
+                   zprivs->user);
           exit (1);
         }
     }
@@ -212,14 +214,15 @@
           zprivs_state.vtygrp = grentry->gr_gid;
           if ( setgroups (1, &zprivs_state.vtygrp) )
             {
-              zlog_err ("privs_init: could not setgroups, %s",
+              fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: could not setgroups, %s\n",
                          strerror (errno) );
               exit (1);
             }       
         }
       else
         {
-          zlog_err ("privs_init: could not lookup supplied user");
+          fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: could not lookup vty group %s\n",
+                   zprivs->vty_group);
           exit (1);
         }
     }
@@ -232,13 +235,14 @@
         }
       else
         {
-          zlog_err ("privs_init: could not lookup supplied user");
+          fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: could not lookup group %s\n",
+                   zprivs->group);
           exit (1);
         }
       /* change group now, forever. uid we do later */
       if ( setregid (zprivs_state.zgid, zprivs_state.zgid) )
         {
-          zlog_err ("zprivs_init: could not setregid, %s",
+          fprintf (stderr, "zprivs_init: could not setregid, %s\n",
                     strerror (errno) );
           exit (1);
         }
@@ -253,19 +257,20 @@
   /* Tell kernel we want caps maintained across uid changes */
   if ( prctl(PR_SET_KEEPCAPS, 1, 0, 0, 0) == -1 )
     {
-      zlog_err("privs_init: could not set PR_SET_KEEPCAPS, %s",
+      fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: could not set PR_SET_KEEPCAPS, %s\n",
                 strerror (errno) );
       exit(1);
     }
 
   if ( !zprivs_state.syscaps_p )
     {
-      zlog_warn ("privs_init: capabilities enabled, but no capabilities supplied");
+      fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: capabilities enabled, but no capabilities supplied\n");
     }
 
   if ( !(zprivs_state.caps = cap_init()) )
     {
-      zlog_err ("privs_init: failed to cap_init, %s", strerror (errno) );
+      fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: failed to cap_init, %s\n", 
+               strerror (errno));
       exit (1);
     }
 
@@ -274,15 +279,16 @@
     {
       if ( setreuid (zprivs_state.zuid, zprivs_state.zuid) )
         {
-          zlog_err ("zprivs_init (cap): could not setreuid, %s", 
-                     strerror (errno) );
+          fprintf (stderr, "zprivs_init (cap): could not setreuid, %s\n", 
+                     strerror (errno));
           exit (1);
         }
     }
   
   if ( cap_clear (zprivs_state.caps) )
     {
-      zlog_err ("privs_init: failed to cap_clear, %s", strerror (errno));
+      fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: failed to cap_clear, %s\n", 
+               strerror (errno));
       exit (1);
     }
   
@@ -304,7 +310,7 @@
    */
   if ( cap_set_proc (zprivs_state.caps) ) 
     {
-      zlog_err ("privs_init: initial cap_set_proc failed");
+      fprintf (stderr, "privs_init: initial cap_set_proc failed\n");
       exit (1);
     }
   
@@ -322,7 +328,8 @@
     {
       if ( setreuid (-1, zprivs_state.zuid) )
         {
-          zlog_err ("privs_init (uid): could not setreuid, %s", strerror (errno));
+          fprintf (stderr, "privs_init (uid): could not setreuid, %s\n", 
+                   strerror (errno));
           exit (1);
         }
     }