diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_main.c b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
index 25680a660..2bcc8d215 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_main.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
@@ -1029,13 +1029,13 @@ main(int    argc,
        daemonized errors OK. Before this stage, errors are logged on stderr 
        also */
     if (foreground==0){
+        clicon_log_init(__PROGRAM__, dbg?LOG_DEBUG:LOG_INFO,
+                        logdst==CLICON_LOG_FILE?CLICON_LOG_FILE:CLICON_LOG_SYSLOG);
         /* Call plugin callbacks just before fork/daemonization */
         if (clixon_plugin_pre_daemon_all(h) < 0)
             goto done;
-        clicon_log_init(__PROGRAM__, dbg?LOG_DEBUG:LOG_INFO,
-                        logdst==CLICON_LOG_FILE?CLICON_LOG_FILE:CLICON_LOG_SYSLOG);
         if (daemon(0, 0) < 0){
-            fprintf(stderr, "config: daemon");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "daemon");
             exit(-1);
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
index 588c4662e..ca6db46b2 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ restconf_clixon_backend(clicon_handle h,
     while (1){
         if (clicon_hello_req(h, "cl:restconf", NULL, &id) < 0){
             if (errno == ENOENT){
-                fprintf(stderr, "waiting");
+                clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "waiting");
                 sleep(1);
                 continue;
             }
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_proc.c b/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
index 6bceeb11e..31369df3c 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_proc.c
@@ -214,18 +214,18 @@ clixon_proc_socket(char **argv,
         close(sp[0]);
         close(0);
         if (dup2(sp[1], STDIN_FILENO) < 0){
-            perror("dup2");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "dup2(STDIN)");
             return -1;
         }
         close(1);
         if (dup2(sp[1], STDOUT_FILENO) < 0){
-            perror("dup2");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "dup2(STDOUT)");
             return -1;
         }
         close(sp[1]); 
         
         if (execvp(argv[0], argv) < 0){
-            perror("execvp");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "execvp '%s'", argv[0]);
             return -1;
         }
         exit(-1);        /* Shouldnt reach here */
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_uid.c b/lib/src/clixon_uid.c
index 7d5a55419..acb30658e 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_uid.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_uid.c
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ drop_priv_temp(uid_t new_uid)
 #ifdef HAVE_GETRESUID
     int retval = -1;
     
+    clicon_debug(4, "%s uid:%u", __FUNCTION__, new_uid);
+
     /* XXX: implicit declaration of function 'setresuid' on travis */
     if (setresuid(-1, new_uid, geteuid()) < 0){
         clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setresuid");
@@ -203,6 +205,8 @@ drop_priv_perm(uid_t new_uid)
     uid_t euid;
     uid_t suid;
 
+    clicon_debug(4, "%s uid:%u", __FUNCTION__, new_uid);
+
     if (setresuid(new_uid, new_uid, new_uid) < 0){
         clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setresuid");
         goto done;
@@ -236,6 +240,8 @@ restore_priv(void)
     uid_t euid;
     uid_t suid;
     
+    clicon_debug(4, "%s", __FUNCTION__);
+
     if (getresuid(&ruid, &euid, &suid) < 0){
         clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setresuid");
         goto done;
diff --git a/util/Makefile.in b/util/Makefile.in
index 536a8a65e..4fc7cec79 100644
--- a/util/Makefile.in
+++ b/util/Makefile.in
@@ -164,6 +164,12 @@ clixon_util_validate: clixon_util_validate.c $(BELIBDEPS) $(LIBDEPS)
 clixon_util_dispatcher: clixon_util_dispatcher.c $(BELIBDEPS) $(LIBDEPS)
 	$(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) -D__PROGRAM__=\"$@\" $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $^ -l clixon_backend -o $@ $(LIBS) $(BELIBS)
 
+clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome: clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome.c $(LIBDEPS)
+	$(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) -D__PROGRAM__=\"$@\" $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $^ $(LIBS) -o $@
+
+clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client: clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client.c $(LIBDEPS)
+	$(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) -D__PROGRAM__=\"$@\" $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $^ $(LIBS) -o $@
+
 ifdef with_restconf
 clixon_util_stream: clixon_util_stream.c $(LIBDEPS)
 	$(CC) $(INCLUDES) $(CPPFLAGS) -D__PROGRAM__=\"$@\" $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $^ $(LIBS) -lcurl -o $@
diff --git a/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome.c b/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome.c
index 78cafb225..726ed8efa 100644
--- a/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome.c
+++ b/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome.c
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ sudo clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome -a 127.0.0.1 -c /var/tmp/./test_netconf_ssh_cal
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 
+#include <cligen/cligen_buf.h>
+#include <clixon/clixon_err.h>
+
 #define NETCONF_CH_SSH 4334
 #define SSHDBIN_DEFAULT "/usr/sbin/sshd"
 #define UTIL_OPTS "hD:f:a:p:s:c:C:"
@@ -91,11 +94,11 @@ callhome_connect(struct sockaddr *sa,
     int s;
 
     if ((s = socket(sa->sa_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
-        perror("socket");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "socket");
         goto done;
     }
     if (connect(s, sa, sa_len) < 0){
-        perror("connect");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "connect");
         close(s);
         goto done;
     }
@@ -155,28 +158,27 @@ ssh_server_exec(int   s,
 
     if (s < 0){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("socket s");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "socket s");
         goto done;
     }
     if (sshdbin == NULL){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("sshdbin");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "sshdbin");
         goto done;
     }
     if (sshdconfigfile == NULL){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("sshdconfigfile");
         goto done;
     }
     if (clixonconfigfile == NULL){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("clixonconfigfile");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "clixonconfigfile");
         goto done;
     }
     /* Construct subsystem string */
     len = strlen(formatstr)+strlen(clixonconfigfile)+1;
     if ((optstr = malloc(len)) == NULL){
-        perror("malloc");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "malloc");
         goto done;
     }
     snprintf(optstr, len, formatstr, clixonconfigfile);
@@ -185,7 +187,7 @@ ssh_server_exec(int   s,
     if (dbg)
         nr++;
     if ((argv = calloc(nr, sizeof(char *))) == NULL){
-        perror("calloc");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "calloc");
         goto done;
     }
 
@@ -204,21 +206,21 @@ ssh_server_exec(int   s,
     argv[i++] = NULL;
     assert(i==nr);
     if (setreuid(0, 0) < 0){
-        perror("setreuid");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setreuid");
         goto done;
     }
     close(0);
     close(1);
     if (dup2(s, STDIN_FILENO) < 0){
-        perror("dup2");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "dup2(STDIN)");
         return -1;
     }
     if (dup2(s, STDOUT_FILENO) < 0){
-        perror("dup2");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "dup2(STDOUT)");
         return -1;
     }
     if (execv(argv[0], argv) < 0) {
-        perror("execv");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "execv %s", argv[0]);
         exit(1);
     }
     /* Should reach here */
diff --git a/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client.c b/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client.c
index a4b610e03..f3a6b6235 100644
--- a/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client.c
+++ b/util/clixon_netconf_ssh_callhome_client.c
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ Example sshd-config (-c option):n
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
 
+#include <cligen/cligen_buf.h>
+#include <clixon/clixon_err.h>
+
 #define NETCONF_CH_SSH 4334
 #define UTIL_OPTS "hD:f:a:p:"
 
@@ -103,7 +106,8 @@ fdpass(int nfd)
 
     /* Avoid obvious stupidity */
     if (isatty(STDOUT_FILENO)){
-        perror("Cannot pass file descriptor to tty");
+        errno = EINVAL;
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "isatty");
         return -1;
     }
     memset(&mh, 0, sizeof(mh));
@@ -131,15 +135,15 @@ fdpass(int nfd)
         if (r == -1) {
             if (errno == EAGAIN || errno == EINTR) {
                 if (poll(&pfd, 1, -1) == -1){
-                    perror("poll");
+                    clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "poll");
                     return -1;
                 }
                 continue;
             }
-            perror("sendmsg");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "sendmsg");
             return -1;
         } else if (r != 1){
-            perror("sendmsg: unexpected return value");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "sendmsg: unexpected value");
             return -1;
         }
         else
@@ -167,34 +171,34 @@ callhome_bind(struct sockaddr *sa,
     
     if (sock == NULL){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("sock");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "sock");
         goto done;
     }
     /* create inet socket */
     if ((s = socket(sa->sa_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
-        perror("socket");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "socket");
         goto done;
     }
     if (setsockopt(s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_KEEPALIVE, (void *)&on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt SO_KEEPALIVE");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt SO_KEEPALIVE");
         goto done;
     }
     if (setsockopt(s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, (void *)&on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt SO_REUSEADDR");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt SO_REUSEADDR");
         goto done;
     }
     /* only bind ipv6, otherwise it may bind to ipv4 as well which is strange but seems default */
     if (sa->sa_family == AF_INET6 &&
         setsockopt(s, IPPROTO_IPV6, IPV6_V6ONLY, &on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt IPPROTO_IPV6");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt IPPROTO_IPV6");
         goto done;
     }
     if (bind(s, sa, sin_len) == -1) {
-        perror("bind");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "bind");
         goto done;
     }
     if (listen(s, backlog) < 0){
-        perror("listen");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "listen");
         goto done;
     }
     if (sock)
@@ -293,7 +297,7 @@ main(int    argc,
     /* Wait until connect */
     len = sizeof(from);
     if ((s = accept(ss, &from, &len)) < 0){
-        perror("accept");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "accept");
         goto done;
     }
     /* s Pass the first connected socket using sendmsg(2) to stdout and exit. */
@@ -304,4 +308,3 @@ main(int    argc,
     return retval;
 }
 
-
diff --git a/util/clixon_restconf_callhome_client.c b/util/clixon_restconf_callhome_client.c
index b40625227..25d719077 100644
--- a/util/clixon_restconf_callhome_client.c
+++ b/util/clixon_restconf_callhome_client.c
@@ -153,34 +153,34 @@ callhome_bind(struct sockaddr *sa,
     
     if (sock == NULL){
         errno = EINVAL;
-        perror("sock");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "sock");
         goto done;
     }
     /* create inet socket */
     if ((s = socket(sa->sa_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) < 0) {
-        perror("socket");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "socket");
         goto done;
     }
     if (setsockopt(s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_KEEPALIVE, (void *)&on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt SO_KEEPALIVE");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt SO_KEEPALIVE");
         goto done;
     }
     if (setsockopt(s, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, (void *)&on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt SO_REUSEADDR");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt SO_REUSEADDR");
         goto done;
     }
     /* only bind ipv6, otherwise it may bind to ipv4 as well which is strange but seems default */
     if (sa->sa_family == AF_INET6 &&
         setsockopt(s, IPPROTO_IPV6, IPV6_V6ONLY, &on, sizeof(on)) == -1) {
-        perror("setsockopt IPPROTO_IPV6");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "setsockopt IPPROTO_IPV6");
         goto done;
     }
     if (bind(s, sa, sin_len) == -1) {
-        perror("bind");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "bind");
         goto done;
     }
     if (listen(s, backlog) < 0){
-        perror("listen");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "listen");
         goto done;
     }
     if (sock)
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ tls_ssl_init_connect(SSL_CTX *ctx,
     
     /* create new SSL connection state */
     if ((ssl = SSL_new(ctx)) == NULL){
-        clicon_err(OE_SSL, 0, "SSL_new.");
+        clicon_err(OE_SSL, 0, "SSL_new");
         goto done;
     }
     SSL_set_fd(ssl, s);    /* attach the socket descriptor */
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ tls_ssl_init_connect(SSL_CTX *ctx,
     protos[0] = 8;
     strncpy((char*)&protos[1], "http/1.1",  9);
     if ((retval = SSL_set_alpn_protos(ssl, protos, 9)) != 0){
-        clicon_err(OE_SSL, retval, "SSL_set_alpn_protos.");
+        clicon_err(OE_SSL, retval, "SSL_set_alpn_protos");
         goto done;
     }
 #if 0
@@ -394,11 +394,9 @@ tls_ssl_init_connect(SSL_CTX *ctx,
         switch (sslerr){
         case SSL_ERROR_SSL:                  /* 1 */
             goto done;
-            break;
         default:
             clicon_err(OE_XML, errno, "SSL_connect");
             goto done;
-            break;
         }
     }
     /* check certificate verification result */
@@ -407,7 +405,7 @@ tls_ssl_init_connect(SSL_CTX *ctx,
     case X509_V_OK:
         break;
     default:
-        clicon_err(OE_SSL, errno, "verify problems: %d", verify);
+        clicon_err(OE_SSL, errno, "SSL_get_verify_result: %d", verify);
         goto done;
     }
     *sslp = ssl;
@@ -468,7 +466,7 @@ tls_server_accept_cb(int   ss,
     clicon_debug(1, "%s", __FUNCTION__);
     len = sizeof(from);
     if ((s = accept(ss, &from, &len)) < 0){
-        perror("accept");
+        clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "accept");
         goto done;
     }
     clicon_debug(1, "accepted");
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_path.c b/util/clixon_util_path.c
index fecf3d6a8..dcdf9670a 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_path.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_path.c
@@ -186,14 +186,14 @@ main(int    argc,
         /* First read api-path from file */
         len = 1024; /* any number is fine */
         if ((buf = malloc(len)) == NULL){
-            perror("pt_file malloc");
+            clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "malloc");
             return -1;
         }
         memset(buf, 0, len);
         i = 0;
         while (1){ 
             if ((ret = read(0, &c, 1)) < 0){
-                perror("read");
+                clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "read");
                 goto done;
             }
             if (ret == 0)
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ main(int    argc,
                 break;
             if (len==i){
                 if ((buf = realloc(buf, 2*len)) == NULL){
-                    fprintf(stderr, "%s: realloc: %s\n", __FUNCTION__, strerror(errno));
+                    clicon_err(OE_UNIX, errno, "realloc");
                     return -1;
                 }           
                 memset(buf+len, 0, len);
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ main(int    argc,
      * XXX Note 0 above, stdin here
      */
     if (clixon_xml_parse_file(fp, YB_NONE, NULL, &x, NULL) < 0){
-        fprintf(stderr, "Error: parsing: %s\n", clicon_err_reason);
+        clicon_err(OE_XML, 0, "Error parsing: %s", clicon_err_reason);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -228,13 +228,13 @@ main(int    argc,
         if ((ret = xml_bind_yang(h, x, YB_MODULE, yspec, &xerr)) < 0)
             goto done;
         if (ret == 0){
-            if ((cb = cbuf_new()) ==NULL){
+            if ((cb = cbuf_new()) == NULL){
                 clicon_err(OE_XML, errno, "cbuf_new");
                 goto done;
             }
             if (netconf_err2cb(xerr, cb) < 0)
                 goto done;
-            fprintf(stderr, "xml validation error: %s\n", cbuf_get(cb));
+            clicon_err(OE_XML, 0, "xml validation error: %s", cbuf_get(cb));
             goto done;
         }
         /* sort */
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ main(int    argc,
             }
             if (netconf_err2cb(xerr, cb) < 0)
                 goto done;
-            fprintf(stderr, "xml validation error: %s\n", cbuf_get(cb));
+            clicon_err(OE_XML, 0, "xml validation error: %s", cbuf_get(cb));
             goto done;
         }
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ main(int    argc,
                 goto done;
         }
         if (ret == 0){
-            fprintf(stderr, "Fail %d %s\n", clicon_errno, clicon_err_reason);
+            clicon_err(OE_XML, clicon_errno, "Failed: %s", clicon_err_reason);
             goto done;
         }
     }
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ main(int    argc,
         xc = xvec[i];
         fprintf(stdout, "%d: ", i);
         clixon_xml2file(stdout, xc, 0, 0, NULL, fprintf, 0, 0);
-        fprintf(stdout, "\n");
+        fputc('\n', stdout);
         fflush(stdout);
     }
     retval = 0;