diff --git a/openmpt123/openmpt123.cpp b/openmpt123/openmpt123.cpp
index d2f79c0a535..38b774f2113 100644
--- a/openmpt123/openmpt123.cpp
+++ b/openmpt123/openmpt123.cpp
@@ -2349,7 +2349,7 @@ static int main( int argc, char * argv [] ) {
 	} catch ( silent_exit_exception & ) {
 		return 0;
 	} catch ( exception & e ) {
-		std_err << MPT_USTRING("error: ") << mpt::get_exception_text<mpt::ustring>( e ) << lf;
+		std_err << "error: " << e.what() << std::endl;
 		std_err.writeout();
 		return 1;
 	} catch ( std::exception & e ) {
@@ -2517,7 +2517,7 @@ static int main( int argc, char * argv [] ) {
 	} catch ( silent_exit_exception & ) {
 		return 0;
 	} catch ( exception & e ) {
-		std_err << MPT_USTRING("error: ") << mpt::get_exception_text<mpt::ustring>( e ) << lf;
+		std_err << "error: " << e.what() << std::endl;
 		std_err.writeout();
 		return 1;
 	} catch ( std::exception & e ) {