diff --git a/builtin.cpp b/builtin.cpp
index 872ba490a..3a61d16f2 100644
--- a/builtin.cpp
+++ b/builtin.cpp
@@ -129,6 +129,10 @@ const wcstring &get_stderr_buffer() {
     return stderr_buffer;
 }
 
+void builtin_show_error(const wcstring &err) {
+    ASSERT_IS_MAIN_THREAD();
+    stderr_buffer.append(err);
+}
 
 /**
    Stack containing builtin I/O for recursive builtin calls.
diff --git a/builtin.h b/builtin.h
index a4a34ce9d..f2093780b 100644
--- a/builtin.h
+++ b/builtin.h
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ enum
 const wcstring &get_stdout_buffer();
 const wcstring &get_stderr_buffer();
 
+/** Output an error */
+void builtin_show_error(const wcstring &err);
+
 /**
    Kludge. Tells builtins if output is to screen
 */
diff --git a/builtin_test.cpp b/builtin_test.cpp
index 79018fc90..220732046 100644
--- a/builtin_test.cpp
+++ b/builtin_test.cpp
@@ -595,11 +595,14 @@ int builtin_test( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
         wcstring err;
         expression *expr = test_parser::parse_args(args, err);
         if (! expr) {
+#if 0
             printf("Oops! test was given args:\n");
             for (size_t i=0; i < argc; i++) {
                 printf("\t%ls\n", args.at(i).c_str());
             }
             printf("and returned parse error: %ls\n", err.c_str());
+#endif
+            builtin_show_error(err);
             return BUILTIN_TEST_FAIL;
         } else {
             wcstring_list_t eval_errors;