diff --git a/src/uu/join/src/join.rs b/src/uu/join/src/join.rs
index 861d1684a..e5abefba4 100644
--- a/src/uu/join/src/join.rs
+++ b/src/uu/join/src/join.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ static NAME: &str = "join";
 #[derive(Debug)]
 enum JoinError {
     IOError(std::io::Error),
-    UnorderedInput,
+    UnorderedInput(String),
 }
 
 impl UError for JoinError {
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl Display for JoinError {
     fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
         match self {
             JoinError::IOError(e) => write!(f, "io error: {}", e),
-            JoinError::UnorderedInput => Ok(()),
+            JoinError::UnorderedInput(e) => f.write_str(e),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -538,24 +538,22 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
 
             let diff = input.compare(self.get_current_key(), line.get_field(self.key));
 
-            if diff == Ordering::Greater {
-                if input.check_order == CheckOrder::Enabled
-                    || (self.has_unpaired && !self.has_failed)
-                {
-                    eprintln!(
-                        "{}: {}:{}: is not sorted: {}",
-                        uucore::execution_phrase(),
-                        self.file_name.maybe_quote(),
-                        self.line_num,
-                        String::from_utf8_lossy(&line.string)
-                    );
-
-                    self.has_failed = true;
-                }
+            if diff == Ordering::Greater
+                && (input.check_order == CheckOrder::Enabled
+                    || (self.has_unpaired && !self.has_failed))
+            {
+                let err_msg = format!(
+                    "{}:{}: is not sorted: {}",
+                    self.file_name.maybe_quote(),
+                    self.line_num,
+                    String::from_utf8_lossy(&line.string)
+                );
                 // This is fatal if the check is enabled.
                 if input.check_order == CheckOrder::Enabled {
-                    return Err(JoinError::UnorderedInput);
+                    return Err(JoinError::UnorderedInput(err_msg));
                 }
+                eprintln!("{}: {}", uucore::execution_phrase(), err_msg);
+                self.has_failed = true;
             }
 
             Ok(Some(line))
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_join.rs b/tests/by-util/test_join.rs
index dbc0bf411..d5da873f6 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_join.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_join.rs
@@ -339,8 +339,7 @@ fn wrong_line_order() {
         .fails()
         .stdout_does_not_contain("7 g f 4 fg")
         .stderr_is(&format!(
-            "{0} {1}: fields_4.txt:5: is not sorted: 11 g 5 gh",
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy(),
+            "{0}: fields_4.txt:5: is not sorted: 11 g 5 gh",
             ts.util_name
         ));
 }
@@ -366,8 +365,7 @@ fn both_files_wrong_line_order() {
         .fails()
         .stdout_does_not_contain("5 e 3 ef")
         .stderr_is(&format!(
-            "{0} {1}: fields_5.txt:4: is not sorted: 3",
-            ts.bin_path.to_string_lossy(),
+            "{0}: fields_5.txt:4: is not sorted: 3",
             ts.util_name
         ));
 }