diff --git a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-docker-prune b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-docker-prune
index 4a7bd4239..5a56f506d 100755
--- a/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-docker-prune
+++ b/salt/common/tools/sbin/so-docker-prune
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def main(quiet):
           if not quiet: print(f'Removing image {tag}')
           client.images.remove(tag)
     except InvalidVersion as e:
-      print(f'so-{get_so_image_basename(t_list[0])}: {e.args[0]}')
+      print(f'so-{get_so_image_basename(t_list[0])}: {e.args[0]}', file=sys.stderr)
       exit(1)
 
   if no_prunable and not quiet: