diff --git a/core/controlcommands/mesoscommandservent.go b/core/controlcommands/mesoscommandservent.go
index 2185eea2..4eded55e 100644
--- a/core/controlcommands/mesoscommandservent.go
+++ b/core/controlcommands/mesoscommandservent.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ package controlcommands
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -144,7 +145,8 @@ func (s *Servent) RunCommand(cmd MesosCommand, receiver MesosCommandTarget) (Mes
 		// By the time we get here, ProcessResponse should have already added a Response to the
 		// pending call, and removed it from servent.pending.
 	case <-time.After(cmd.GetResponseTimeout()):
-		call.Error = fmt.Errorf("%s timed out for task %s", cmd.GetName(), receiver.TaskId.Value)
+		userFriendlyCommandName, _ := strings.CutPrefix(cmd.GetName(), "MesosCommand_")
+		call.Error = fmt.Errorf("%s timed out", userFriendlyCommandName)
 
 		log.WithPrefix("servent").
 			WithField("partition", cmd.GetEnvironmentId().String()).
diff --git a/core/environment/manager.go b/core/environment/manager.go
index 33ad5c09..8546bd0c 100644
--- a/core/environment/manager.go
+++ b/core/environment/manager.go
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ func (envs *Manager) CreateEnvironment(workflowPath string, userVars map[string]
 					log.WithField("state", envState).
 						WithField("partition", env.Id().String()).
 						WithError(err).
-						Warnf("auto-transitioning environment failed %s, cleanup in progress", op)
+						Errorf("auto-transitioning environment failed %s, cleanup in progress", op)
 
 					the.EventWriterWithTopic(topic.Environment).WriteEvent(
 						NewEnvGoErrorEvent(env, fmt.Sprintf("%s failed: %v", op, err)),
@@ -1460,7 +1460,7 @@ func (envs *Manager) CreateAutoEnvironment(workflowPath string, userVars map[str
 		log.WithField("state", envState).
 			WithField("partition", env.Id().String()).
 			WithError(err).
-			Warnf("auto-transitioning environment failed %s, cleanup in progress", op)
+			Errorf("auto-transitioning environment failed %s, cleanup in progress", op)
 
 		the.EventWriterWithTopic(topic.Environment).WriteEvent(
 			NewEnvGoErrorEvent(env, fmt.Sprintf("%s failed: %v", op, err)),