diff --git a/release/sysinstall/ftp.c b/release/sysinstall/ftp.c
index f83dfdae5a97..0cbb53ffc91b 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/ftp.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/ftp.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ try:
 	sprintf(password, "installer@%s", variable_get(VAR_HOSTNAME));
     msgNotify("Logging in to %s@%s..", login_name, hostname);
     if ((OpenConn = ftpLogin(hostname, login_name, password, FtpPort, isDebug(), &code)) == NULL) {
-	msgConfirm("Couldn't open FTP connection to %s, errcode = %d", hostname, code);
+	msgConfirm("Couldn't open FTP connection to %s:\n  %s.", hostname, ftpErrString(code));
 	goto punt;
     }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ try:
 		msgConfirm("No such directory ftp://%s/%s\n"
 			   "please check your URL and try again.", hostname, dir);
 	    else
-		msgConfirm("FTP chdir to ftp://%s/%s returned error status %d\n", hostname, dir, i);
+		msgConfirm("FTP chdir to ftp://%s/%s returned error status:\n  %s.", hostname, dir, ftpErrString(i));
 	    goto punt;
 	}
     }
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/index.c b/release/sysinstall/index.c
index 79a035814d3e..736e2575e585 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/index.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/index.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ pkg_fire(dialogMenuItem *self)
 		msgInfo("Added %s to selection list", kp->name);
 	    }
 	}
-	else if (sp) {
+	else {
 	    msgInfo("Removed %s from selection list", kp->name);
 	    index_delete(sp);
 	}
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/main.c b/release/sysinstall/main.c
index 688000062255..d9b08a899b7d 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/main.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/main.c
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (OnVTY) {
 	for (curr = 0; curr < 25; curr++)
 	    putchar('\n');
-	/* Move stderr aside */
-	if (DebugFD)
-	    dup2(DebugFD, 2);
     }
+    /* Move stderr aside */
+    if (DebugFD)
+	dup2(DebugFD, 2);
 
     /* Probe for all relevant devices on the system */
     deviceGetAll();
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/package.c b/release/sysinstall/package.c
index 0ae2d50ac2a6..78074d772a97 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/package.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/package.c
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ package_exists(char *name)
      */
     snprintf(fname, FILENAME_MAX, "/var/db/pkg/%s", name);
     status = access(fname, R_OK);
-    msgDebug("package check for %s returns %s.\n", name,
-	     status ? "failure" : "success");
+    if (isDebug())
+	msgDebug("package check for %s returns %s.\n", name, status ? "failure" : "success");
     return !status;
 }
 
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sade/main.c b/usr.sbin/sade/main.c
index 688000062255..d9b08a899b7d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sade/main.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sade/main.c
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (OnVTY) {
 	for (curr = 0; curr < 25; curr++)
 	    putchar('\n');
-	/* Move stderr aside */
-	if (DebugFD)
-	    dup2(DebugFD, 2);
     }
+    /* Move stderr aside */
+    if (DebugFD)
+	dup2(DebugFD, 2);
 
     /* Probe for all relevant devices on the system */
     deviceGetAll();
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/ftp.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/ftp.c
index f83dfdae5a97..0cbb53ffc91b 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/ftp.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/ftp.c
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ try:
 	sprintf(password, "installer@%s", variable_get(VAR_HOSTNAME));
     msgNotify("Logging in to %s@%s..", login_name, hostname);
     if ((OpenConn = ftpLogin(hostname, login_name, password, FtpPort, isDebug(), &code)) == NULL) {
-	msgConfirm("Couldn't open FTP connection to %s, errcode = %d", hostname, code);
+	msgConfirm("Couldn't open FTP connection to %s:\n  %s.", hostname, ftpErrString(code));
 	goto punt;
     }
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ try:
 		msgConfirm("No such directory ftp://%s/%s\n"
 			   "please check your URL and try again.", hostname, dir);
 	    else
-		msgConfirm("FTP chdir to ftp://%s/%s returned error status %d\n", hostname, dir, i);
+		msgConfirm("FTP chdir to ftp://%s/%s returned error status:\n  %s.", hostname, dir, ftpErrString(i));
 	    goto punt;
 	}
     }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/index.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/index.c
index 79a035814d3e..736e2575e585 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/index.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/index.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ pkg_fire(dialogMenuItem *self)
 		msgInfo("Added %s to selection list", kp->name);
 	    }
 	}
-	else if (sp) {
+	else {
 	    msgInfo("Removed %s from selection list", kp->name);
 	    index_delete(sp);
 	}
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/main.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/main.c
index 688000062255..d9b08a899b7d 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/main.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/main.c
@@ -81,10 +81,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (OnVTY) {
 	for (curr = 0; curr < 25; curr++)
 	    putchar('\n');
-	/* Move stderr aside */
-	if (DebugFD)
-	    dup2(DebugFD, 2);
     }
+    /* Move stderr aside */
+    if (DebugFD)
+	dup2(DebugFD, 2);
 
     /* Probe for all relevant devices on the system */
     deviceGetAll();
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/package.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/package.c
index 0ae2d50ac2a6..78074d772a97 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/package.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/package.c
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ package_exists(char *name)
      */
     snprintf(fname, FILENAME_MAX, "/var/db/pkg/%s", name);
     status = access(fname, R_OK);
-    msgDebug("package check for %s returns %s.\n", name,
-	     status ? "failure" : "success");
+    if (isDebug())
+	msgDebug("package check for %s returns %s.\n", name, status ? "failure" : "success");
     return !status;
 }