diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/ndb/csquery.c b/sys/src/cmd/ndb/csquery.c
index 1f77c1f38..42bbec5d3 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/ndb/csquery.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/ndb/csquery.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	Binit(&in, 0, OREAD);
 	for(;;){
-		print("> ");
+		fprint(2, "> ");
 		p = Brdline(&in, '\n');
 		if(p == 0)
 			break;
diff --git a/sys/src/cmd/ndb/dnsquery.c b/sys/src/cmd/ndb/dnsquery.c
index 67da3f4ca..952b69049 100644
--- a/sys/src/cmd/ndb/dnsquery.c
+++ b/sys/src/cmd/ndb/dnsquery.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ query(int fd)
 	Biobuf in;
 
 	Binit(&in, 0, OREAD);
-	for(print("> "); lp = Brdline(&in, '\n'); print("> ")){
+	for(fprint(2, "> "); lp = Brdline(&in, '\n'); fprint(2, "> ")){
 		n = Blinelen(&in) -1;
 		while(isspace(lp[n]))
 			lp[n--] = 0;