diff --git a/trace.c b/trace.c
index f204a7d88a..bdbe149396 100644
--- a/trace.c
+++ b/trace.c
@@ -132,18 +132,23 @@ static int prepare_trace_line(const char *file, int line,
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static void trace_write(struct trace_key *key, const void *buf, unsigned len)
+{
+	if (write_in_full(get_trace_fd(key), buf, len) < 0)
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s: write error (%s)\n", err_msg, strerror(errno));
+}
+
 void trace_verbatim(struct trace_key *key, const void *buf, unsigned len)
 {
 	if (!trace_want(key))
 		return;
-	write_or_whine_pipe(get_trace_fd(key), buf, len, err_msg);
+	trace_write(key, buf, len);
 }
 
 static void print_trace_line(struct trace_key *key, struct strbuf *buf)
 {
 	strbuf_complete_line(buf);
-
-	write_or_whine_pipe(get_trace_fd(key), buf->buf, buf->len, err_msg);
+	trace_write(key, buf->buf, buf->len);
 	strbuf_release(buf);
 }