diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
index 6164665568..6662aca0f2 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ rcl_publisher_init(
       rmw_ret_t rmw_fail_ret = rmw_destroy_publisher(
         rcl_node_get_rmw_handle(node), publisher->impl->rmw_handle);
       if (RMW_RET_OK != rmw_fail_ret) {
-        RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(rmw_get_error_string().str);
+        RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+          "%s, at %s:%d\n", rmw_get_error_string().str, __FILE__, __LINE__);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
index 2f987a4ca7..e9c2748aa2 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
@@ -197,7 +197,8 @@ rcl_subscription_init(
       rmw_ret_t rmw_fail_ret = rmw_destroy_subscription(
         rcl_node_get_rmw_handle(node), subscription->impl->rmw_handle);
       if (RMW_RET_OK != rmw_fail_ret) {
-        RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(rmw_get_error_string().str);
+        RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
+          "%s, at %s:%d\n", rmw_get_error_string().str, __FILE__, __LINE__);
       }
     }