diff --git a/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py b/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
index d7d05ec6215085deb380dc1e480788094aafd715..d4c0223aacffcd23843eeb441ee240cb22177f61 100755
--- a/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
+++ b/src/mpsd_software_manager/mpsd_software.py
@@ -1153,10 +1153,11 @@ def get_root_dir() -> Path:
             return script_call_dir
 
     # if not found in any parent directory, exit with an error message
-    logging.getLogger("print").info(
+    logging.debug(f"Directory {str(script_call_dir)} is not a MPSD software instance.")
+
+    logging.error(
         "Error: Could not find MPSD software instance "
         "in the current directory or any parent directory.\n"
-        f"Directory {str(script_call_dir)} is not a MPSD software instance.\n"
         "Please run 'mpsd-software init' to "
         "initialise the software instance here, "
         "or switch to a directory which is already initialised.\n \n"