diff --git a/src/cgutil.c b/src/cgutil.c
index ccf68bb9..67a42d2e 100644
--- a/src/cgutil.c
+++ b/src/cgutil.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#include <err.h>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <signal.h>
@@ -244,7 +243,7 @@ static float cgroup_cpuload(struct cg *cg)
 	snprintf(fn, sizeof(fn), "%s/cpu.stat", cg->cg_path);
 	fp = fopen(fn, "r");
 	if (!fp)
-		err(1, "Cannot open %s", fn);
+		ERR(1, "Cannot open %s", fn);
 
 	while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), fp)) {
 		uint64_t curr;
@@ -280,13 +279,13 @@ static struct cg *append(char *path)
 	if (access(fn, F_OK)) {
 		/* older kernels, 4.19, don't have summary cpu.stat in root */
 		if (strcmp(path, FINIT_CGPATH))
-			warn("not a cgroup path with cpu controller, %s", path);
+			WARN("not a cgroup path with cpu controller, %s", path);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
 	cg = calloc(1, sizeof(struct cg));
 	if (!cg)
-		err(1, "failed allocating struct cg");
+		ERR(1, "failed allocating struct cg");
 
 	cg->cg_path = strdup(path);
 	if (list)
@@ -296,7 +295,7 @@ static struct cg *append(char *path)
 	item.key  = cg->cg_path;
 	item.data = cg;
 	if (!hsearch(item, ENTER))
-		err(1, "failed adding to hash table");
+		ERR(1, "failed adding to hash table");
 
 	return cg;
 }
@@ -610,7 +609,7 @@ int show_cgtop(char *arg)
 	}
 
 	if (!hcreate(ttrows + 25))
-		err(1, "failed creating hash table");
+		ERR(1, "failed creating hash table");
 
 	sysinfo(&si);
 	total_ram = si.totalram * si.mem_unit;
diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index f8388132..a89ba8da 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
  * THE SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-#include <err.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <poll.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
@@ -41,13 +40,13 @@ int client_connect(void)
 
 	sd = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_SEQPACKET, 0);
 	if (-1 == sd) {
-		warn("Failed creating UNIX domain socket");
+		WARN("Failed creating UNIX domain socket");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	if (connect(sd, (struct sockaddr*)&sun, sizeof(sun)) == -1) {
 		if (errno != ENOENT)
-			warnx("Failed connecting to finit");
+			WARNX("Failed connecting to finit");
 		close(sd);
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -82,12 +81,12 @@ int client_send(struct init_request *rq, ssize_t len)
 	pfd.fd     = sd;
 	pfd.events = POLLOUT;
 	if (poll(&pfd, 1, 2000) <= 0) {
-		warn("Timed out waiting for Finit, errno %d", errno);
+		WARN("Timed out waiting for Finit, errno %d", errno);
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (write(sd, rq, len) != len) {
-		warn("Failed communicating with Finit, errno %d", errno);
+		WARN("Failed communicating with Finit, errno %d", errno);
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
@@ -97,14 +96,14 @@ int client_send(struct init_request *rq, ssize_t len)
 		if (rc) {
 			if (errno == EINTR) /* shutdown/reboot */
 				goto exit;
-			warn("poll(), errno %d", errno);
+			WARN("poll(), errno %d", errno);
 		} else
-			warnx("Timed out waiting for reply from Finit.");
+			WARNX("Timed out waiting for reply from Finit.");
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
 	if (read(sd, rq, len) != len) {
-		warn("Failed reading reply from Finit, errno %d", errno);
+		WARN("Failed reading reply from Finit, errno %d", errno);
 		goto exit;
 	}
 
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ svc_t *client_svc_iterator(int first)
 
 	return &svc;
 error:
-	perror("Failed communicating with finit");
+	WARN("Failed communicating with finit, error %d", errno);
 	client_disconnect();
 	sd = -1;
 
@@ -176,7 +175,7 @@ svc_t *do_cmd(int cmd, const char *arg)
 	return &svc;
 error:
 	client_disconnect();
-	perror("Failed communicating with finit");
+	WARN("Failed communicating with finit, error %d", errno);
 
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/src/initctl.c b/src/initctl.c
index 3d516467..a35187bd 100644
--- a/src/initctl.c
+++ b/src/initctl.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#include <err.h>
 #include <ftw.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
@@ -39,6 +38,7 @@
 # include <lite/lite.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "initctl.h"
 #include "client.h"
 #include "cond.h"
 #include "serv.h"
@@ -245,11 +245,11 @@ static int do_startstop(int cmd, char *arg)
 	};
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0])
-		errx(1, "missing command argument");
+		ERRX(1, "missing command argument");
 
 	strlcpy(rq.data, arg, sizeof(rq.data));
 	if (client_send(&rq, sizeof(rq)))
-		errx(1, "No such task or service(s): %s", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "No such task or service(s): %s", arg);
 
 	return do_svc(cmd, arg);
 }
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ static int do_restart(char *arg)
 	}
 
 	if (retries == 0)
-		errx(1, "failed stopping %s (restart)", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "failed stopping %s (restart)", arg);
 
 	return do_startstop(INIT_CMD_RESTART_SVC, arg);
 }
@@ -305,11 +305,11 @@ int do_signal(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int signo;
 
 	if (argc != 2)
-		errx(1, "invalid number of arguments to signal");
+		ERRX(1, "invalid number of arguments to signal");
 
 	strlcpy(rq.data, argv[0], sizeof(rq.data));
 	if (client_send(&rq, sizeof(rq)))
-		errx(1, "no such task or service(s): %s", argv[0]);
+		ERRX(1, "no such task or service(s): %s", argv[0]);
 
 	signo = str2sig(argv[1]);
 	if (signo == -1) {
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ int do_signal(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		signo = (int)strtonum(argv[1], 1, 31, &errstr);
 		if (errstr)
-			errx(1, "%s signal: %s", errstr, argv[1]);
+			ERRX(1, "%s signal: %s", errstr, argv[1]);
 	}
 
 	/* Reuse runlevel for signal number. */
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ static int do_cond_dump(char *arg)
 	}
 
 	if (nftw(_PATH_COND, dump_one_cond, 20, 0) == -1) {
-		warnx("Failed parsing %s", _PATH_COND);
+		WARNX("Failed parsing %s", _PATH_COND);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -395,11 +395,11 @@ static int do_cond_act(char *arg, int op)
 		arg += strlen(COND_USR);
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0])
-		errx(1, "Invalid condition (empty)");
+		ERRX(1, "Invalid condition (empty)");
 	if (strchr(arg, '/'))
-		errx(1, "Invalid condition (slashes)");
+		ERRX(1, "Invalid condition (slashes)");
 	if (strchr(arg, '.'))
-		errx(1, "Invalid condition (periods)");
+		ERRX(1, "Invalid condition (periods)");
 
 	snprintf(oneshot, sizeof(oneshot), _PATH_CONDUSR "%s", arg);
 	off = strlen(_PATH_COND);
@@ -412,14 +412,14 @@ static int do_cond_act(char *arg, int op)
 		return off;
 	case 1:
 		if (symlink(_PATH_RECONF, oneshot) && errno != EEXIST)
-			err(1, "Failed asserting condition <%s>", &oneshot[off]);
+			ERR(1, "Failed asserting condition <%s>", &oneshot[off]);
 		break;
 	case 0:
 		if (erase(oneshot) && errno != ENOENT)
-			err(1, "Failed deasserting condition <%s>", &oneshot[off]);
+			ERR(1, "Failed deasserting condition <%s>", &oneshot[off]);
 		break;
 	default:
-		errx(1, "Unsupported operation (%d)", op);
+		ERRX(1, "Unsupported operation (%d)", op);
 		break;
 	}
 
@@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ static int cmd_parse(int argc, char *argv[], struct cmd *command)
 	}
 
 	if (argv[0] && strlen(argv[0]) > 0)
-		errx(1, "No such command.  See 'initctl help' for an overview of available commands.");
+		ERRX(1, "No such command.  See 'initctl help' for an overview of available commands.");
 
 	return command[0].cb(NULL); /* default cmd */
 }
@@ -1241,6 +1241,9 @@ void logit(int prio, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
 
+	if (quiet)
+		return;
+
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
 	if (prio <= LOG_ERR)
 		verrx(1, fmt, ap);
diff --git a/src/initctl.h b/src/initctl.h
index baa3d833..3d7a1ee9 100644
--- a/src/initctl.h
+++ b/src/initctl.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #ifndef FINIT_INITCTL_H_
 #define FINIT_INITCTL_H_
 
+#include <err.h>
+
 #include "finit.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
@@ -33,6 +35,12 @@ extern int ionce;			/* initctl -1 */
 extern int heading;			/* initctl -t */
 extern int verbose;			/* initctl -v */
 extern int plain;			/* initctl -p */
+extern int quiet;			/* initctl -q */
+
+#define ERR(rc, fmt, args...)  do { if (!quiet) err(rc, fmt, ##args);  else exit(rc); } while (0)
+#define ERRX(rc, fmt, args...) do { if (!quiet) errx(rc, fmt, ##args); else exit(rc); } while (0)
+#define WARN(fmt, args...)     do { if (!quiet) warn(fmt, ##args);  } while (0)
+#define WARNX(fmt, args...)    do { if (!quiet) warnx(fmt, ##args); } while (0)
 
 extern void print_header(const char *fmt, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
diff --git a/src/serv.c b/src/serv.c
index dd06896a..6a25960f 100644
--- a/src/serv.c
+++ b/src/serv.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 
-#include <err.h>
 #include <fcntl.h> /* Definition of AT_* constants */
 #include <glob.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -233,7 +232,7 @@ int serv_enable(char *arg)
 	int ena;
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0]) {
-		warnx("missing argument to enable, may be one of:");
+		WARNX("missing argument to enable, may be one of:");
 		return serv_list("available");
 	}
 
@@ -243,18 +242,18 @@ int serv_enable(char *arg)
 	}
 
 	if (chdir(FINIT_RCSD))
-		err(1, "failed cd %s", FINIT_RCSD);
+		ERR(1, "failed cd %s", FINIT_RCSD);
 
 	if (icreate && mkdir("enabled", 0755) && EEXIST != errno)
-		err(1, "failed creating %s/enabled directory", FINIT_RCSD);
+		ERR(1, "failed creating %s/enabled directory", FINIT_RCSD);
 	ena = !chdir("enabled");   /* System *may* have enabled/ dir. */
 
 	snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%savailable/%s", ena ? "../" : "", arg);
 	if (!fexist(path))
-		errx(1, "cannot find %s", conf(path, sizeof(path), arg, 0));
+		ERRX(1, "cannot find %s", conf(path, sizeof(path), arg, 0));
 
 	if (fexist(arg))
-		errx(1, "%s already enabled", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "%s already enabled", arg);
 
 	return symlink(path, arg) != 0;
 }
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ int do_disable(char *arg, int check)
 	char corr[40];
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0]) {
-		warnx("missing argument to disable, may be one of:");
+		WARNX("missing argument to disable, may be one of:");
 		return serv_list("enabled");
 	}
 
@@ -275,15 +274,15 @@ int do_disable(char *arg, int check)
 	}
 
 	if (chdir(FINIT_RCSD))
-		err(1, "failed cd %s", FINIT_RCSD);
+		ERR(1, "failed cd %s", FINIT_RCSD);
 	if (chdir("enabled"))	   /* System *may* have enabled/ dir. */
 		dbg("Failed changing to %s/enabled/: %s", FINIT_RCSD, strerror(errno));
 
 	if (check && stat(arg, &st))
-		errx(1, "%s not (an) enabled (service).", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "%s not (an) enabled (service).", arg);
 
 	if (check && (st.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFLNK)
-		errx(1, "cannot disable %s, not a symlink.", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "cannot disable %s, not a symlink.", arg);
 
 	return remove(arg) != 0;
 }
@@ -299,16 +298,16 @@ int serv_touch(char *arg)
 	char *fn;
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0]) {
-		warnx("missing argument to touch, may be one of:");
+		WARNX("missing argument to touch, may be one of:");
 		return serv_list("enabled");
 	}
 
 	fn = conf(path, sizeof(path), arg, 0);
 	if (!fexist(fn)) {
 		if (!strstr(arg, "finit.conf"))
-			errx(1, "%s not available.", arg);
+			ERRX(1, "%s not available.", arg);
 		if (is_builtin(arg))
-			errx(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
+			ERRX(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
 
 		strlcpy(path, FINIT_CONF, sizeof(path));
 		fn = path;
@@ -316,7 +315,7 @@ int serv_touch(char *arg)
 
 	/* libite:touch() follows symlinks */
 	if (utimensat(AT_FDCWD, fn, NULL, AT_SYMLINK_NOFOLLOW))
-		err(1, "failed marking %s for reload", fn);
+		ERR(1, "failed marking %s for reload", fn);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -329,9 +328,9 @@ int serv_show(char *arg)
 	fn = conf(path, sizeof(path), arg, 0);
 	if (!fexist(fn)) {
 		if (is_builtin(arg))
-			errx(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
+			ERRX(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
 
-		warnx("Cannot find %s", arg);
+		WARNX("Cannot find %s", arg);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -366,10 +365,10 @@ static int do_edit(char *arg, int creat)
 	fn = conf(path, sizeof(path), arg, creat);
 	if (!fexist(fn)) {
 		if (is_builtin(arg))
-			errx(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
+			ERRX(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
 
 		if (!creat) {
-			warnx("Cannot find %s, use -c flag, create command, or select one of:", arg);
+			WARNX("Cannot find %s, use -c flag, create command, or select one of:", arg);
 			return serv_list(NULL);
 		}
 
@@ -378,7 +377,7 @@ static int do_edit(char *arg, int creat)
 		copyfile(SAMPLE_CONF, fn, 0, 0);
 #endif
 	} else if (creat)
-		warnx("the file %s already exists, falling back to edit.", fn);
+		WARNX("the file %s already exists, falling back to edit.", fn);
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < NELEMS(editor); i++) {
 		if (systemf("%s %s 2>/dev/null", editor[i], path))
@@ -407,10 +406,10 @@ int serv_creat(char *arg)
 	FILE *fp;
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0])
-		errx(1, "missing argument to create");
+		ERRX(1, "missing argument to create");
 
 	if (is_builtin(arg))
-		errx(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
+		ERRX(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
 
 	/* Input from a pipe or a proper TTY? */
 	if (isatty(STDIN_FILENO))
@@ -419,16 +418,16 @@ int serv_creat(char *arg)
 	/* Open fn for writing from pipe */
 	fn = conf(buf, sizeof(buf), arg, 1);
 	if (!fn)
-		err(1, "failed creating conf %s", arg);
+		ERR(1, "failed creating conf %s", arg);
 
 	if (!icreate && fexist(fn)) {
-		warnx("%s already exists, skipping (use -c to override)", fn);
+		WARNX("%s already exists, skipping (use -c to override)", fn);
 		fn = "/dev/null";
 	}
 
 	fp = fopen(fn, "w");
 	if (!fp)
-		err(1, "failed opening %s for writing", fn);
+		ERR(1, "failed opening %s for writing", fn);
 
 	while (fgets(buf, sizeof(buf), stdin))
 		fputs(buf, fp);
@@ -442,24 +441,24 @@ int serv_delete(char *arg)
 	char *fn;
 
 	if (!arg || !arg[0]) {
-		warnx("missing argument to delete, may be one of:");
+		WARNX("missing argument to delete, may be one of:");
 		return serv_list("available");
 	}
 
 	fn = conf(buf, sizeof(buf), arg, 0);
 	if (!fn) {
 		if (is_builtin(arg))
-			errx(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
-		errx(1, FINIT_RCSD " missing on system.");
+			ERRX(1, "%s is a built-in service.", arg);
+		ERRX(1, FINIT_RCSD " missing on system.");
 	}
 
 	if (!fexist(fn))
-		warnx("cannot find %s", fn);
+		WARNX("cannot find %s", fn);
 
 	if (iforce || yorn("Remove file and symlink(s) to %s (y/N)? ", fn)) {
 		do_disable(arg, 0);
 		if (remove(fn))
-			err(1, "Failed removing %s", fn);
+			ERR(1, "Failed removing %s", fn);
 	}
 
 	return 0;