diff --git a/tools/bufr_compare.c b/tools/bufr_compare.c
index e9b38785b..d1c4f6074 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_compare.c
+++ b/tools/bufr_compare.c
@@ -1279,9 +1279,8 @@ static int compare_all_dump_keys(grib_handle* handle1, grib_handle* handle2, gri
         }
     }
     iter = grib_keys_iterator_new(handle1, 0, NULL);
-
     if (!iter) {
-        grib_context_log(context, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "unable to create keys iterator");
+        grib_context_log(context, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "unable to create the BUFR keys iterator");
         exit(1);
     }
 
diff --git a/tools/grib_compare.c b/tools/grib_compare.c
index 99145169a..92ebea613 100644
--- a/tools/grib_compare.c
+++ b/tools/grib_compare.c
@@ -1136,6 +1136,7 @@ static int compare_handles(grib_handle* h1, grib_handle* h2, grib_runtime_option
     int i                    = 0;
     const char* name         = NULL;
     grib_keys_iterator* iter = NULL;
+    grib_context* context    = handle1->context;
 
     /* mask only if no -c option or headerMode (-H)*/
     if (blocklist && (!listFromCommandLine || headerMode)) {
@@ -1172,7 +1173,7 @@ static int compare_handles(grib_handle* h1, grib_handle* h2, grib_runtime_option
         iter = grib_keys_iterator_new(h11, GRIB_KEYS_ITERATOR_SKIP_COMPUTED, NULL);
 
         if (!iter) {
-            printf("ERROR: unable to get keys iterator\n");
+            grib_context_log(context, GRIB_LOG_ERROR, "unable to create the GRIB keys iterator");
             exit(1);
         }