diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_md5.fish b/share/functions/__fish_md5.fish
index ca80f458c..3ad1a46f3 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_md5.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_md5.fish
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function __fish_md5
             if test $argv[1] = -s
                 echo (echo $argv[2] | md5sum | string split ' ')[1]
             else
-                printf (_ "%s: Too many arguments %s\n") fish_md5 $argv
+                printf (_ "%s: Too many arguments %s\n") fish_md5 $argv >&2
             end
         else
             echo (md5sum $argv[1] | string split ' ')[1]
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function __fish_md5
             if test $argv[1] = -s
                 md5 -s $argv[2]
             else
-                printf (_ "%s: Too many arguments %s\n") fish_md5 $argv
+                printf (_ "%s: Too many arguments %s\n") fish_md5 $argv >&2
             end
         else
             md5 -q $argv[1]
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_print_help.fish b/share/functions/__fish_print_help.fish
index ebd89685c..d37b1765e 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_print_help.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_print_help.fish
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function __fish_print_help --description "Print help message for the specified f
             set -a format -rLL={$cols}n
         end
     else
-        echo fish: (_ "Cannot format help; no parser found")
+        echo fish: (_ "Cannot format help; no parser found") >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish b/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
index ebab94dae..20bb31e6e 100644
--- a/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
+++ b/share/functions/__fish_shared_key_bindings.fish
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function __fish_shared_key_bindings -d "Bindings shared between emacs and vi mod
 
     if contains -- -h $argv
         or contains -- --help $argv
-        echo "Sorry but this function doesn't support -h or --help"
+        echo "Sorry but this function doesn't support -h or --help" >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/_validate_int.fish b/share/functions/_validate_int.fish
index 629cf4c73..dd91b7c40 100644
--- a/share/functions/_validate_int.fish
+++ b/share/functions/_validate_int.fish
@@ -10,21 +10,21 @@ function _validate_int --no-scope-shadowing
 
     if not string match -qr '^-?\d+$' -- $_flag_value
         set -l msg (_ "%s: Value '%s' for flag '%s' is not an integer\n")
-        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name
+        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name >&2
         return 1
     end
 
     if set -q _flag_min
         and test $_flag_value -lt $_flag_min
         set -l msg (_ "%s: Value '%s' for flag '%s' less than min allowed of '%s'\n")
-        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name $_flag_min
+        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name $_flag_min >&2
         return 1
     end
 
     if set -q _flag_max
         and test $_flag_value -gt $_flag_max
         set -l msg (_ "%s: Value '%s' for flag '%s' greater than max allowed of '%s'\n")
-        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name $_flag_max
+        printf $msg $_argparse_cmd $_flag_value $_flag_name $_flag_max >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/cd.fish b/share/functions/cd.fish
index bf41f4f3b..7ebe37a7e 100644
--- a/share/functions/cd.fish
+++ b/share/functions/cd.fish
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function cd --description "Change directory"
     set -l MAX_DIR_HIST 25
 
     if test (count $argv) -gt (test "$argv[1]" = "--" && echo 2 || echo 1)
-        printf "%s\n" (_ "Too many args for cd command")
+        printf "%s\n" (_ "Too many args for cd command") >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/cdh.fish b/share/functions/cdh.fish
index 82d3d193b..0499877a3 100644
--- a/share/functions/cdh.fish
+++ b/share/functions/cdh.fish
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ function cdh --description "Menu based cd command"
     set -l dirc (count $uniq_dirs)
     if test $dirc -gt (count $letters)
         set -l msg (_ 'This should not happen. Have you changed the cd function?')
-        printf "$msg\n"
+        printf "$msg\n" >&2
         set -l msg (_ 'There are %s unique dirs in your history but I can only handle %s')
-        printf "$msg\n" $dirc (count $letters)
+        printf "$msg\n" $dirc (count $letters) >&2
         return 1
     end
 
@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ function cdh --description "Menu based cd command"
             cd $uniq_dirs[$choice]
             return
         else
-            printf "$msg\n" $dirc $choice
+            printf "$msg\n" $dirc $choice >&2
             return 1
         end
     else
-        printf "$msg\n" $dirc $choice
+        printf "$msg\n" $dirc $choice >&2
         return 1
     end
 end
diff --git a/share/functions/fish_update_completions.fish b/share/functions/fish_update_completions.fish
index cf0151669..b546a1e79 100644
--- a/share/functions/fish_update_completions.fish
+++ b/share/functions/fish_update_completions.fish
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ function fish_update_completions --description "Update man-page based completion
     if set -l python (__fish_anypython)
         $python $update_args
     else
-        printf "%s\n" (_ "python executable not found")
+        printf "%s\n" (_ "python executable not found") >&2
         return 1
     end
 end
diff --git a/share/functions/fish_vi_key_bindings.fish b/share/functions/fish_vi_key_bindings.fish
index 914d47e33..e0f8f6d7b 100644
--- a/share/functions/fish_vi_key_bindings.fish
+++ b/share/functions/fish_vi_key_bindings.fish
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 function fish_vi_key_bindings --description 'vi-like key bindings for fish'
     if contains -- -h $argv
         or contains -- --help $argv
-        echo "Sorry but this function doesn't support -h or --help"
+        echo "Sorry but this function doesn't support -h or --help" >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/funced.fish b/share/functions/funced.fish
index 1b8282dd2..5fa339115 100644
--- a/share/functions/funced.fish
+++ b/share/functions/funced.fish
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ function funced --description 'Edit function definition'
     set -l editor_cmd
     echo $editor | read -ta editor_cmd
     if not type -q -f "$editor_cmd[1]"
-        echo (_ "funced: The value for \$EDITOR '$editor' could not be used because the command '$editor_cmd[1]' could not be found")
+        echo (_ "funced: The value for \$EDITOR '$editor' could not be used because the command '$editor_cmd[1]' could not be found") >&2
         set editor fish
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/help.fish b/share/functions/help.fish
index 1d2fecf15..90c962363 100644
--- a/share/functions/help.fish
+++ b/share/functions/help.fish
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function help --description 'Show help for the fish shell'
         if string match -q string $argv[1]
             set fish_help_item (string join '-' $argv[1] $argv[2])
         else
-            echo "help: Expected at most 1 args, got 2"
+            echo "help: Expected at most 1 args, got 2" >&2
             return 1
         end
     end
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ function help --description 'Show help for the fish shell'
     end
 
     if not set -q fish_browser[1]
-        printf (_ '%s: Could not find a web browser.\n') help
-        printf (_ 'Please try `BROWSER=some_browser help`, `man fish-doc`, or `man fish-tutorial`.\n\n')
+        printf (_ '%s: Could not find a web browser.\n') help >&2
+        printf (_ 'Please try `BROWSER=some_browser help`, `man fish-doc`, or `man fish-tutorial`.\n\n') >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/nextd.fish b/share/functions/nextd.fish
index bee91c0c0..9ed623ae1 100644
--- a/share/functions/nextd.fish
+++ b/share/functions/nextd.fish
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function nextd --description "Move forward in the directory history"
         if test $argv[1] -ge 0 2>/dev/null
             set times $argv[1]
         else
-            printf (_ "%s: The number of positions to skip must be a non-negative integer\n") nextd
+            printf (_ "%s: The number of positions to skip must be a non-negative integer\n") nextd >&2
             return 1
         end
     end
diff --git a/share/functions/open.fish b/share/functions/open.fish
index 565bd8496..442bdf568 100644
--- a/share/functions/open.fish
+++ b/share/functions/open.fish
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if not command -sq open
         end
 
         if not set -q argv[1]
-            printf (_ "%ls: Expected at least %d args, got only %d\n") open 1 0
+            printf (_ "%ls: Expected at least %d args, got only %d\n") open 1 0 >&2
             return 1
         end
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ if not command -sq open
                 disown $last_pid 2>/dev/null
             end
         else
-            echo (_ 'No open utility found. Try installing "xdg-open" or "xdg-utils".')
+            echo (_ 'No open utility found. Try installing "xdg-open" or "xdg-utils".') >&2
         end
     end
 end
diff --git a/share/functions/prevd.fish b/share/functions/prevd.fish
index a708909df..0c3a6f25b 100644
--- a/share/functions/prevd.fish
+++ b/share/functions/prevd.fish
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function prevd --description "Move back in the directory history"
         if test $argv[1] -ge 0 2>/dev/null
             set times $argv[1]
         else
-            printf (_ "%s: The number of positions to skip must be a non-negative integer\n") nextd
+            printf (_ "%s: The number of positions to skip must be a non-negative integer\n") prevd >&2
             return 1
         end
     end
diff --git a/share/functions/pushd.fish b/share/functions/pushd.fish
index 90a04ef8d..501a1c650 100644
--- a/share/functions/pushd.fish
+++ b/share/functions/pushd.fish
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ function pushd --description 'Push directory to stack'
     if not set -q argv[1]
         # check that the stack isn't empty
         if not set -q dirstack[1]
-            echo "pushd: no other directory"
+            echo "pushd: no other directory" >&2
             return 1
         end
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ function pushd --description 'Push directory to stack'
         if test -n "$rot_r"
             # check the rotation in range
             if test $rot_r -ge (count $stack)
-                echo "pushd: -$rot_r: directory stack index out of range"
+                echo "pushd: -$rot_r: directory stack index out of range" >&2
                 return 1
             end
 
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ function pushd --description 'Push directory to stack'
 
         # check the rotation in range
         if test $rot_l -ge (count $stack)
-            echo "pushd: +$rot_l: directory stack index out of range"
+            echo "pushd: +$rot_l: directory stack index out of range" >&2
             return 1
         else
             # rotate stack unless rot_l is 0
diff --git a/share/functions/realpath.fish b/share/functions/realpath.fish
index 95c3ab395..3a08cce8d 100644
--- a/share/functions/realpath.fish
+++ b/share/functions/realpath.fish
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ function realpath -d "return an absolute path without symlinks"
     end
 
     if not set -q argv[1]
-        printf (_ "%ls: Expected at least %d args, got only %d\n") realpath 1 0
+        printf (_ "%ls: Expected at least %d args, got only %d\n") realpath 1 0 >&2
         return 1
     end
 
diff --git a/share/functions/seq.fish b/share/functions/seq.fish
index f91ffdc01..8a2ebc936 100644
--- a/share/functions/seq.fish
+++ b/share/functions/seq.fish
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ if not command -sq seq
                 set step $argv[2]
                 set to $argv[3]
             case '*'
-                printf (_ "%s: Expected 1, 2 or 3 arguments, got %d\n") seq (count $argv)
+                printf (_ "%s: Expected 1, 2 or 3 arguments, got %d\n") seq (count $argv) >&2
                 return 1
         end
 
         for i in $from $step $to
             if not string match -rq -- '^-?[0-9]*([0-9]*|\.[0-9]+)$' $i
-                printf (_ "%s: '%s' is not a number\n") seq $i
+                printf (_ "%s: '%s' is not a number\n") seq $i >&2
                 return 1
             end
         end
diff --git a/share/functions/vared.fish b/share/functions/vared.fish
index 402337347..c6cadcd95 100644
--- a/share/functions/vared.fish
+++ b/share/functions/vared.fish
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ function vared --description "Edit variable value"
                 return 0
 
             case '-*'
-                printf (_ "%s: Unknown option %s\n") vared $argv
+                printf (_ "%s: Unknown option %s\n") vared $argv >&2
                 return 1
 
             case '*'
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ function vared --description "Edit variable value"
                         -c "$$argv" \
                         $argv
                 else
-                    printf (_ '%s: %s is an array variable. Use %svared%s %s[n]%s to edit the n:th element of %s\n') vared $argv (set_color $fish_color_command; echo) (set_color $fish_color_normal; echo) $argv (set_color normal; echo) $argv
+                    printf (_ '%s: %s is an array variable. Use %svared%s %s[n]%s to edit the n:th element of %s\n') vared $argv (set_color $fish_color_command; echo) (set_color $fish_color_normal; echo) $argv (set_color normal; echo) $argv >&2
                 end
         end
     else
-        printf (_ '%s: Expected exactly one argument, got %s.\n\nSynopsis:\n\t%svared%s VARIABLE\n') vared (count $argv) (set_color $fish_color_command; echo) (set_color $fish_color_normal; echo)
+        printf (_ '%s: Expected exactly one argument, got %s.\n\nSynopsis:\n\t%svared%s VARIABLE\n') vared (count $argv) (set_color $fish_color_command; echo) (set_color $fish_color_normal; echo) >&2
     end
 end