diff --git a/api/test/deals.go b/api/test/deals.go
index 5b5f04e41..289445083 100644
--- a/api/test/deals.go
+++ b/api/test/deals.go
@@ -400,8 +400,8 @@ func testRetrieval(t *testing.T, ctx context.Context, err error, client *impl.Fu
 	}
 	updates, err := client.ClientRetrieve(ctx, offers[0].Order(caddr), ref)
 	for update := range updates {
-		if update.Err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("%+v", err)
+		if update.Err != "" {
+			t.Fatalf("%v", err)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/cli/client.go b/cli/client.go
index 5c2574364..5bc0f4a0d 100644
--- a/cli/client.go
+++ b/cli/client.go
@@ -846,12 +846,11 @@ var clientRetrieveCmd = &cli.Command{
 		for {
 			select {
 			case evt, chOpen := <-updates:
-
-				fmt.Printf("Retrieval Event: %s, State: %s, BytesReceived: %d, PaymentSent: %s\n",
+				fmt.Printf("> Recv: %s, Paid %s, %s (%s)\n",
+					types.SizeStr(types.NewInt(evt.BytesReceived)),
+					types.FIL(evt.FundsSpent),
 					retrievalmarket.ClientEvents[evt.Event],
 					retrievalmarket.DealStatuses[evt.Status],
-					evt.BytesReceived,
-					evt.FundsSpent.String(),
 				)
 
 				if !chOpen {
@@ -859,8 +858,8 @@ var clientRetrieveCmd = &cli.Command{
 					return nil
 				}
 
-				if evt.Err != nil {
-					return xerrors.Errorf("retrieval failed: %w", err)
+				if evt.Err != "" {
+					return xerrors.Errorf("retrieval failed: %v", err)
 				}
 			case <-ctx.Done():
 				return xerrors.Errorf("retrieval timed out")
diff --git a/markets/loggers/loggers.go b/markets/loggers/loggers.go
index 58dc6d97d..6f386dbba 100644
--- a/markets/loggers/loggers.go
+++ b/markets/loggers/loggers.go
@@ -34,5 +34,5 @@ type RetrievalEvent struct {
 	Status        retrievalmarket.DealStatus
 	BytesReceived uint64
 	FundsSpent    abi.TokenAmount
-	Err           error
+	Err           string
 }
diff --git a/node/impl/client/client.go b/node/impl/client/client.go
index befcae0b1..2823ca263 100644
--- a/node/impl/client/client.go
+++ b/node/impl/client/client.go
@@ -410,7 +410,11 @@ func (a *API) clientRetrieve(ctx context.Context, order api.RetrievalOrder, ref
 	defer close(events)
 
 	finish := func(e error) {
-		events <- marketevents.RetrievalEvent{Err: e}
+		errStr := ""
+		if e != nil {
+			errStr = e.Error()
+		}
+		events <- marketevents.RetrievalEvent{Err: errStr}
 	}
 
 	if order.MinerPeer.ID == "" {