diff --git a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
index f6dff395f..2ed4d0999 100644
--- a/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
+++ b/go/cli/mcap/cmd/filter.go
@@ -257,11 +257,12 @@ func filter(
 	defer func() {
 		err := mcapWriter.Close()
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "failed to close mcap writer: %w", err)
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to close mcap writer: %v\n", err)
 			return
 		}
 		if opts.recover {
-			fmt.Printf(
+			fmt.Fprintf(
+				os.Stderr,
 				"Recovered %d messages, %d attachments, and %d metadata records.\n",
 				numMessages,
 				numAttachments,