diff --git a/coreutils/chmod.c b/coreutils/chmod.c
index 9c1c76047..c04201eec 100644
--- a/coreutils/chmod.c
+++ b/coreutils/chmod.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static int FAST_FUNC fileAction(const char *fileName, struct stat *statbuf, void
 	newmode = statbuf->st_mode;
 
 	if (!bb_parse_mode((char *)param, &newmode))
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("invalid mode: %s", (char *)param);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("invalid mode '%s'", (char *)param);
 
 	if (chmod(fileName, newmode) == 0) {
 		if (OPT_VERBOSE
diff --git a/coreutils/install.c b/coreutils/install.c
index 803afe617..ab9feffaf 100644
--- a/coreutils/install.c
+++ b/coreutils/install.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static void setdefaultfilecon(const char *path)
 
 	if (lsetfilecon(path, scontext) < 0) {
 		if (errno != ENOTSUP) {
-			bb_perror_msg("warning: failed to change context"
+			bb_perror_msg("warning: can't change context"
 					" of %s to %s", path, scontext);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/e2fsprogs/fsck.c b/e2fsprogs/fsck.c
index 3ec5b3643..0192f3cdb 100644
--- a/e2fsprogs/fsck.c
+++ b/e2fsprogs/fsck.c
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ static void load_fs_info(const char *filename)
 
 	fstab = setmntent(filename, "r");
 	if (!fstab) {
-		bb_perror_msg("can't read %s", filename);
+		bb_perror_msg("can't read '%s'", filename);
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/e2fsprogs/old_e2fsprogs/util.c b/e2fsprogs/old_e2fsprogs/util.c
index 326492d49..64cca05a7 100644
--- a/e2fsprogs/old_e2fsprogs/util.c
+++ b/e2fsprogs/old_e2fsprogs/util.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void check_plausibility(const char *device, int force)
 	if (force)
 		return;
 	if (val == -1)
-		bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't stat %s", device);
+		bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't stat '%s'", device);
 	if (!S_ISBLK(s.st_mode)) {
 		printf("%s is not a block special device.\n", device);
 		proceed_question();
diff --git a/findutils/find.c b/findutils/find.c
index f45abbe36..0b06938da 100644
--- a/findutils/find.c
+++ b/findutils/find.c
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ static action*** parse_params(char **argv)
 			arg1 = plus_minus_num(arg1);
 			ap->perm_mask = 0;
 			if (!bb_parse_mode(arg1, &ap->perm_mask))
-				bb_error_msg_and_die("invalid mode: %s", arg1);
+				bb_error_msg_and_die("invalid mode '%s'", arg1);
 		}
 #endif
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_FIND_MTIME
diff --git a/libbb/run_shell.c b/libbb/run_shell.c
index de7b92ab2..6f98bd695 100644
--- a/libbb/run_shell.c
+++ b/libbb/run_shell.c
@@ -86,5 +86,5 @@ void FAST_FUNC run_shell(const char *shell, int loginshell, const char *command,
 		freecon(current_sid);
 #endif
 	execv(shell, (char **) args);
-	bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't run %s", shell);
+	bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't run '%s'", shell);
 }
diff --git a/miscutils/makedevs.c b/miscutils/makedevs.c
index be080552b..abf505770 100644
--- a/miscutils/makedevs.c
+++ b/miscutils/makedevs.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ int makedevs_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		/* if mode != S_IFCHR and != S_IFBLK,
 		 * third param in mknod() ignored */
 		if (mknod(nodname, mode, makedev(Smajor, Sminor)))
-			bb_perror_msg("can't create %s", nodname);
+			bb_perror_msg("can't create '%s'", nodname);
 
 		/*if (nodname == basedev)*/ /* ex. /dev/hda - to /dev/hda1 ... */
 			nodname = buf;
diff --git a/miscutils/microcom.c b/miscutils/microcom.c
index 0fb51d2e8..78863d49f 100644
--- a/miscutils/microcom.c
+++ b/miscutils/microcom.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ int microcom_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	if (sfd < 0) {
 		// device already locked -> bail out
 		if (errno == EEXIST)
-			bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't create %s", device_lock_file);
+			bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't create '%s'", device_lock_file);
 		// can't create lock -> don't care
 		if (ENABLE_FEATURE_CLEAN_UP)
 			free(device_lock_file);
diff --git a/miscutils/time.c b/miscutils/time.c
index 5ea0f064b..6946c863f 100644
--- a/miscutils/time.c
+++ b/miscutils/time.c
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ static void run_command(char *const *cmd, resource_t *resp)
 		   versus merely warnings if the cast is left off.  */
 		BB_EXECVP(cmd[0], cmd);
 		xfunc_error_retval = (errno == ENOENT ? 127 : 126);
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't run %s", cmd[0]);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't run '%s'", cmd[0]);
 	}
 
 	/* Have signals kill the child but not self (if possible).  */
diff --git a/modutils/modprobe-small.c b/modutils/modprobe-small.c
index 53b7c9468..cf22b9471 100644
--- a/modutils/modprobe-small.c
+++ b/modutils/modprobe-small.c
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ static void write_out_dep_bb(int fd)
 
 	if (rename(DEPFILE_BB".new", DEPFILE_BB) != 0) {
  err:
-		bb_perror_msg("can't create %s", DEPFILE_BB);
+		bb_perror_msg("can't create '%s'", DEPFILE_BB);
 		unlink(DEPFILE_BB".new");
 	} else {
  ok:
diff --git a/modutils/modprobe.c b/modutils/modprobe.c
index f511bc2ed..69b9e4687 100644
--- a/modutils/modprobe.c
+++ b/modutils/modprobe.c
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ static int do_modprobe(struct module_entry *m)
 				rc = bb_delete_module(m2->modname, O_EXCL);
 				if (rc) {
 					if (first) {
-						bb_error_msg("failed to unload module %s: %s",
+						bb_error_msg("can't unload module %s: %s",
 							humanly_readable_name(m2),
 							moderror(rc));
 						break;
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static int do_modprobe(struct module_entry *m)
 			rc = 0;
 		free(options);
 		if (rc) {
-			bb_error_msg("failed to load module %s (%s): %s",
+			bb_error_msg("can't load module %s (%s): %s",
 				humanly_readable_name(m2),
 				fn,
 				moderror(rc)
diff --git a/networking/ifplugd.c b/networking/ifplugd.c
index 62b135524..3567dea03 100644
--- a/networking/ifplugd.c
+++ b/networking/ifplugd.c
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ static smallint detect_link(void)
 	if (status == IFSTATUS_ERR
 	 && G.detect_link_func == detect_link_auto
 	) {
-		bb_error_msg("failed to detect link status");
+		bb_error_msg("can't detect link status");
 	}
 
 	if (status != G.iface_last_status) {
diff --git a/networking/libiproute/ipaddress.c b/networking/libiproute/ipaddress.c
index af29dd301..daea9dd03 100644
--- a/networking/libiproute/ipaddress.c
+++ b/networking/libiproute/ipaddress.c
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ static NOINLINE int print_linkinfo(const struct nlmsghdr *n)
 static int flush_update(void)
 {
 	if (rtnl_send(G_filter.rth, G_filter.flushb, G_filter.flushp) < 0) {
-		bb_perror_msg("failed to send flush request");
+		bb_perror_msg("can't send flush request");
 		return -1;
 	}
 	G_filter.flushp = 0;
diff --git a/networking/libiproute/iproute.c b/networking/libiproute/iproute.c
index 68e3c36a0..d771a609b 100644
--- a/networking/libiproute/iproute.c
+++ b/networking/libiproute/iproute.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ typedef struct filter_t filter_t;
 static int flush_update(void)
 {
 	if (rtnl_send(G_filter.rth, G_filter.flushb, G_filter.flushp) < 0) {
-		bb_perror_msg("failed to send flush request");
+		bb_perror_msg("can't send flush request");
 		return -1;
 	}
 	G_filter.flushp = 0;
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ static int iproute_get(char **argv)
 			tb[RTA_PREFSRC]->rta_type = RTA_SRC;
 			r->rtm_src_len = 8*RTA_PAYLOAD(tb[RTA_PREFSRC]);
 		} else if (!tb[RTA_SRC]) {
-			bb_error_msg_and_die("failed to connect the route");
+			bb_error_msg_and_die("can't connect the route");
 		}
 		if (!odev && tb[RTA_OIF]) {
 			tb[RTA_OIF]->rta_type = 0;
diff --git a/networking/udhcp/dhcpd.c b/networking/udhcp/dhcpd.c
index 93e06b237..795ac4841 100644
--- a/networking/udhcp/dhcpd.c
+++ b/networking/udhcp/dhcpd.c
@@ -389,13 +389,13 @@ int udhcpd_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 
 		switch (udhcp_sp_read(&rfds)) {
 		case SIGUSR1:
-			bb_info_msg("Received a SIGUSR1");
+			bb_info_msg("Received SIGUSR1");
 			write_leases();
 			/* why not just reset the timeout, eh */
 			timeout_end = monotonic_sec() + server_config.auto_time;
 			continue;
 		case SIGTERM:
-			bb_info_msg("Received a SIGTERM");
+			bb_info_msg("Received SIGTERM");
 			goto ret0;
 		case 0:	/* no signal: read a packet */
 			break;
diff --git a/procps/kill.c b/procps/kill.c
index e418046e7..1d343edff 100644
--- a/procps/kill.c
+++ b/procps/kill.c
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ int kill_main(int argc, char **argv)
 						continue;
 					errors++;
 					if (!quiet)
-						bb_perror_msg("can't kill pid %u", (unsigned)*pl);
+						bb_perror_msg("can't kill pid %d", (int)*pl);
 				}
 			}
 			free(pidList);
diff --git a/selinux/chcon.c b/selinux/chcon.c
index 4395a7ee4..c6be37f44 100644
--- a/selinux/chcon.c
+++ b/selinux/chcon.c
@@ -90,13 +90,13 @@ static int FAST_FUNC change_filedir_context(
 		if ((option_mask32 & OPT_VERBOSE) || ((option_mask32 & OPT_CHANHES) && !fail)) {
 			printf(!fail
 			       ? "context of %s changed to %s\n"
-			       : "failed to change context of %s to %s\n",
+			       : "can't change context of %s to %s\n",
 			       fname, context_string);
 		}
 		if (!fail) {
 			rc = TRUE;
 		} else if ((option_mask32 & OPT_QUIET) == 0) {
-			bb_error_msg("failed to change context of %s to %s",
+			bb_error_msg("can't change context of %s to %s",
 				     fname, context_string);
 		}
 	} else if (option_mask32 & OPT_VERBOSE) {
diff --git a/selinux/runcon.c b/selinux/runcon.c
index 8472b7090..4afd1116e 100644
--- a/selinux/runcon.c
+++ b/selinux/runcon.c
@@ -59,13 +59,13 @@ static context_t runcon_compute_new_context(char *user, char *role, char *type,
 	if (!con)
 		bb_error_msg_and_die("'%s' is not a valid context", cur_context);
 	if (user && context_user_set(con, user))
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("failed to set new user '%s'", user);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't set new user '%s'", user);
 	if (type && context_type_set(con, type))
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("failed to set new type '%s'", type);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't set new type '%s'", type);
 	if (range && context_range_set(con, range))
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("failed to set new range '%s'", range);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't set new range '%s'", range);
 	if (role && context_role_set(con, role))
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("failed to set new role '%s'", role);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't set new role '%s'", role);
 
 	return con;
 }
diff --git a/shell/hush.c b/shell/hush.c
index 048085b3e..9b15efb30 100644
--- a/shell/hush.c
+++ b/shell/hush.c
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ static const struct built_in_command bltins1[] = {
 	BLTIN("set"      , builtin_set     , "Set/unset positional parameters"),
 	BLTIN("shift"    , builtin_shift   , "Shift positional parameters"),
 	BLTIN("trap"     , builtin_trap    , "Trap signals"),
-	BLTIN("type"     , builtin_type    , "Write a description of command type"),
+	BLTIN("type"     , builtin_type    , "Show command type"),
 	BLTIN("ulimit"   , shell_builtin_ulimit  , "Control resource limits"),
 	BLTIN("umask"    , builtin_umask   , "Set file creation mask"),
 	BLTIN("unset"    , builtin_unset   , "Unset variables"),
diff --git a/util-linux/mdev.c b/util-linux/mdev.c
index 3cee3a669..b0efd98b5 100644
--- a/util-linux/mdev.c
+++ b/util-linux/mdev.c
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ static void make_device(char *path, int delete)
 
 			if (!delete && major >= 0) {
 				if (mknod(node_name, mode | type, makedev(major, minor)) && errno != EEXIST)
-					bb_perror_msg("can't create %s", node_name);
+					bb_perror_msg("can't create '%s'", node_name);
 				if (major == G.root_major && minor == G.root_minor)
 					symlink(node_name, "root");
 				if (ENABLE_FEATURE_MDEV_CONF) {
diff --git a/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c b/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
index c6c2036ea..abfb94226 100644
--- a/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
+++ b/util-linux/mkfs_minix.c
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ int mkfs_minix_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 
 	xmove_fd(xopen(G.device_name, O_RDWR), dev_fd);
 	if (fstat(dev_fd, &statbuf) < 0)
-		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't stat %s", G.device_name);
+		bb_error_msg_and_die("can't stat '%s'", G.device_name);
 	if (!S_ISBLK(statbuf.st_mode))
 		opt &= ~1; // clear -c (check)
 
diff --git a/util-linux/mount.c b/util-linux/mount.c
index e24fc4024..8ec3071b1 100644
--- a/util-linux/mount.c
+++ b/util-linux/mount.c
@@ -1921,7 +1921,7 @@ int mount_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	}
 	fstab = setmntent(fstabname, "r");
 	if (!fstab)
-		bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't read %s", fstabname);
+		bb_perror_msg_and_die("can't read '%s'", fstabname);
 
 	// Loop through entries until we find what we're looking for
 	memset(mtpair, 0, sizeof(mtpair));