@@ -87,13 +87,29 @@
   (if (debug:debug-mode n)
       (with-output-to-port (or e (current-error-port))
 	(lambda ()
 	  (if *logging*
 	      (db:log-event (apply conc params))
-	      ;; (apply print "pid:" (current-process-id) " " params)
 	      (apply print params)
 	      )))))
+
+(define (debug:print-error n e . params)
+  ;; normal print
+  (if (debug:debug-mode n)
+      (with-output-to-port (or e (current-error-port))
+	(lambda ()
+	  (if *logging*
+	      (db:log-event (apply conc params))
+	      ;; (apply print "pid:" (current-process-id) " " params)
+	      (apply print "ERROR: " params)
+	      ))))
+  ;; pass important messages to stderr
+  (if (and (eq? n 0)(not (eq? e (current-error-port)))) 
+      (with-output-to-port (current-error-port)
+	(lambda ()
+	  (apply print "ERROR: " params)
+	  ))))
 
 (define (debug:print-info n e . params)
   (if (debug:debug-mode n)
       (with-output-to-port (or e (current-error-port))
 	(lambda ()