diff --git a/programs/pkey/gen_key.c b/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
index 83d7b71875..da7d262f2e 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/gen_key.c
@@ -453,8 +453,9 @@ exit:
 
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
 #ifdef MBEDTLS_ERROR_C
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf(" - %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf(" - %s\n", buf); */
 #else
         mbedtls_printf("\n");
 #endif
diff --git a/programs/pkey/key_app.c b/programs/pkey/key_app.c
index e3a6966050..5ccb063274 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/key_app.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/key_app.c
@@ -347,8 +347,9 @@ cleanup:
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf); */
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/programs/pkey/key_app_writer.c b/programs/pkey/key_app_writer.c
index 60f992e431..a460b18dba 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/key_app_writer.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/key_app_writer.c
@@ -469,8 +469,9 @@ exit:
 
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
 #ifdef MBEDTLS_ERROR_C
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf(" - %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf(" - %s\n", buf); */
 #else
         mbedtls_printf("\n");
 #endif
diff --git a/programs/pkey/pk_decrypt.c b/programs/pkey/pk_decrypt.c
index b8f7943d62..025f69c069 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/pk_decrypt.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/pk_decrypt.c
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@ exit:
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf); */
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/programs/pkey/pk_encrypt.c b/programs/pkey/pk_encrypt.c
index a916bc6e25..9ada67d5b8 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/pk_encrypt.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/pk_encrypt.c
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ exit:
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf); */
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/programs/pkey/pk_sign.c b/programs/pkey/pk_sign.c
index d48911c886..b8f06c4fb1 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/pk_sign.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/pk_sign.c
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ exit:
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf); */
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/programs/pkey/pk_verify.c b/programs/pkey/pk_verify.c
index b4e84c303f..063abd755a 100644
--- a/programs/pkey/pk_verify.c
+++ b/programs/pkey/pk_verify.c
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ exit:
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
     if (exit_code != MBEDTLS_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
-        mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
-        mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf);
+        mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+        /* mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) buf, sizeof(buf));
+           mbedtls_printf("  !  Last error was: %s\n", buf); */
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/programs/test/benchmark.c b/programs/test/benchmark.c
index 93c17291f2..36ac02259b 100644
--- a/programs/test/benchmark.c
+++ b/programs/test/benchmark.c
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ static unsigned long mbedtls_timing_hardclock(void);
 
 #if defined(MBEDTLS_ERROR_C)
 #define PRINT_ERROR                                                     \
-    mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) tmp, sizeof(tmp));          \
-    mbedtls_printf("FAILED: %s\n", tmp);
+    mbedtls_printf("Error code: %d", ret);
+/* mbedtls_strerror(ret, (char *) tmp, sizeof(tmp));          \
+   mbedtls_printf("FAILED: %s\n", tmp); */
 #else
 #define PRINT_ERROR                                                     \
     mbedtls_printf("FAILED: -0x%04x\n", (unsigned int) -ret);