diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-info.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-info.c
index e280023e1..61492a5d3 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-info.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-info.c
@@ -46,13 +46,19 @@ show_extension_info (const char *uuid)
                                      NULL,
                                      &error);
   if (response == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell\n"));
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   asv = g_variant_get_child_value (response, 0);
   info = g_variant_dict_new (asv);
 
   if (!g_variant_dict_contains (info, "uuid"))
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Extension “%s” doesn't exist\n"), uuid);
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   print_extension_info (info, DISPLAY_DETAILED);
 
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-list.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-list.c
index bc021fd14..62db4d9d3 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-list.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-list.c
@@ -60,7 +60,10 @@ list_extensions (ListFilterFlags filter, DisplayFormat format)
                                      NULL,
                                      &error);
   if (response == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell\n"));
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   extensions = g_variant_get_child_value (response, 0);
 
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-prefs.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-prefs.c
index 86799eafc..25d1626c4 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-prefs.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-prefs.c
@@ -47,17 +47,26 @@ launch_extension_prefs (const char *uuid)
                                      NULL,
                                      &error);
   if (response == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell"));
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   asv = g_variant_get_child_value (response, 0);
   info = g_variant_dict_new (asv);
 
   if (!g_variant_dict_contains (info, "uuid"))
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Extension “%s” doesn't exist\n"), uuid);
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   g_variant_dict_lookup (info, "hasPrefs", "b", &has_prefs);
   if (!has_prefs)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Extension “%s” doesn't have preferences\n"), uuid);
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   g_dbus_proxy_call_sync (proxy,
                           "OpenExtensionPrefs",
diff --git a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-uninstall.c b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-uninstall.c
index 5974e098e..4b902f403 100644
--- a/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-uninstall.c
+++ b/subprojects/extensions-tool/src/command-uninstall.c
@@ -45,10 +45,16 @@ uninstall_extension (const char *uuid)
                                      NULL,
                                      &error);
   if (response == NULL)
-    return FALSE;
+    {
+      g_printerr (_("Failed to connect to GNOME Shell"));
+      return FALSE;
+    }
 
   g_variant_get (response, "(b)", &success);
 
+  if (!success)
+    g_printerr (_("Failed to uninstall “%s”\n"), uuid);
+
   return success;
 }