diff --git a/lib/renderers/StandardRenderer.js b/lib/renderers/StandardRenderer.js
index 5858faa0..00585331 100644
--- a/lib/renderers/StandardRenderer.js
+++ b/lib/renderers/StandardRenderer.js
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ StandardRenderer.prototype.error = function (err) {
 
     err.id = err.code || 'error';
     err.level = 'error';
-    str = this._prefix(err) + ' ' + err.message + '\n';
+
+    str = this._prefixNotification(err) + ' ' + err.message + '\n';
 
     // Check if additional details were provided
     if (err.details) {
@@ -67,10 +68,13 @@ StandardRenderer.prototype._genericNotification = function (notification) {
     var stream;
     var str;
 
-    notification.message = notification.message || '';
-    stream = notification.level === 'warn' ? process.stderr : process.stdout;
-    str = this._prefixNotification(notification) + ' ' + notification.message + '\n';
+    if (notification.level === 'warn') {
+        stream = process.stderr;
+    } else {
+        stream = process.stdout;
+    }
 
+    str = this._prefixNotification(notification) + ' ' + notification.message + '\n';
     this._write(stream, 'bower ' + str);
 };