diff --git a/src/tools/pw-cli.c b/src/tools/pw-cli.c
index f331ee306..4e0342bc1 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-cli.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-cli.c
@@ -2795,6 +2795,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			opt_remote = optarg;
 			break;
 		default:
+			show_help(&data, argv[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-dot.c b/src/tools/pw-dot.c
index 6c5995fee..04cd075fd 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-dot.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-dot.c
@@ -811,29 +811,36 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			fprintf(stdout, "set output file %s\n", dot_path);
 			break;
 		default:
+			show_help(argv[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
 	data.loop = pw_main_loop_new(NULL);
-	if (data.loop == NULL)
+	if (data.loop == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't create main loop: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	l = pw_main_loop_get_loop(data.loop);
 	pw_loop_add_signal(l, SIGINT, do_quit, &data);
 	pw_loop_add_signal(l, SIGTERM, do_quit, &data);
 
 	data.context = pw_context_new(l, NULL, 0);
-	if (data.context == NULL)
+	if (data.context == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't create context: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	data.core = pw_context_connect(data.context,
 			pw_properties_new(
 				PW_KEY_REMOTE_NAME, opt_remote,
 				NULL),
 			0);
-	if (data.core == NULL)
+	if (data.core == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't connect: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	data.dot_str = dot_str_new();
 	if (data.dot_str == NULL)
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-mon.c b/src/tools/pw-mon.c
index 20c765ec9..9bef0342a 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-mon.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-mon.c
@@ -720,21 +720,26 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			opt_remote = optarg;
 			break;
 		default:
+			show_help(argv[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
 	data.loop = pw_main_loop_new(NULL);
-	if (data.loop == NULL)
+	if (data.loop == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't create main loop: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	l = pw_main_loop_get_loop(data.loop);
 	pw_loop_add_signal(l, SIGINT, do_quit, &data);
 	pw_loop_add_signal(l, SIGTERM, do_quit, &data);
 
 	data.context = pw_context_new(l, NULL, 0);
-	if (data.context == NULL)
+	if (data.context == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't create context: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	spa_list_init(&data.pending_list);
 
@@ -743,8 +748,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				PW_KEY_REMOTE_NAME, opt_remote,
 				NULL),
 			0);
-	if (data.core == NULL)
+	if (data.core == NULL) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "can't connect: %m\n");
 		return -1;
+	}
 
 	pw_core_add_listener(data.core,
 				   &data.core_listener,
diff --git a/src/tools/pw-profiler.c b/src/tools/pw-profiler.c
index 1931436c7..382c459b6 100644
--- a/src/tools/pw-profiler.c
+++ b/src/tools/pw-profiler.c
@@ -586,13 +586,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			opt_remote = optarg;
 			break;
 		default:
+			show_help(argv[0]);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	}
 
 	data.loop = pw_main_loop_new(NULL);
 	if (data.loop == NULL) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't create data loop: %m");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Can't create data loop: %m\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -602,7 +603,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	data.context = pw_context_new(l, NULL, 0);
 	if (data.context == NULL) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't create context: %m");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Can't create context: %m\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -614,7 +615,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				NULL),
 			0);
 	if (data.core == NULL) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't connect: %m");
+		fprintf(stderr, "Can't connect: %m\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	data.output = fopen(data.filename, "w");
 	if (data.output == NULL) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Can't open file %s: %m", data.filename);
+		fprintf(stderr, "Can't open file %s: %m\n", data.filename);
 		return -1;
 	}