diff --git a/cmd/kube-proxy/proxy.go b/cmd/kube-proxy/proxy.go
index 9ec68a51fed..a9c958d6b2d 100644
--- a/cmd/kube-proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/cmd/kube-proxy/proxy.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	goflag "flag"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ func main() {
 	defer logs.FlushLogs()
 
 	if err := command.Execute(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "error: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go b/cmd/kubeadm/kubeadm.go
index 6aca5a18f3d..233b13f5cbc 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 3fce17f4086..5864a5ae68a 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)