diff --git a/cmd/coconut.go b/cmd/coconut.go
index 6aa398077..afe03bef2 100644
--- a/cmd/coconut.go
+++ b/cmd/coconut.go
@@ -71,9 +71,6 @@ func runFunc(run func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error) func(*cobra.Comm
 	}
 }
 
-// exitErrorPrefix is auto-appended to any abrupt command exit.
-const exitErrorPrefix = "fatal: "
-
 // exitError issues an error and exits with a standard error exit code.
 func exitError(msg string, args ...interface{}) {
 	exitErrorCode(-1, msg, args...)
@@ -81,6 +78,6 @@ func exitError(msg string, args ...interface{}) {
 
 // exitErrorCode issues an error and exists with the given error exit code.
 func exitErrorCode(code int, msg string, args ...interface{}) {
-	sink().Errorf(diag.Message(exitErrorPrefix + fmt.Sprintf(msg, args...)))
+	sink().Errorf(diag.Message(fmt.Sprintf(msg, args...)))
 	os.Exit(code)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/env.go b/cmd/env.go
index dcab7307a..926135de8 100644
--- a/cmd/env.go
+++ b/cmd/env.go
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ func apply(cmd *cobra.Command, info *envCmdInfo, opts applyOptions) {
 
 			if progress.MaybeCorrupt {
 				summary.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf(
-					"%vfatal: A catastrophic error occurred; resources states may be unknown%v\n",
+					"%vA catastrophic error occurred; resources states may be unknown%v\n",
 					colors.SpecAttention, colors.Reset))
 			}