diff --git a/cmd/commands/init.go b/cmd/commands/init.go
index 68b2ab3899b4..f7fae72e6c58 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/init.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/init.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ var (
 // returns 1 iff it set a file, otherwise 0 (so we can add them)
 func setupFile(path, data string, perm os.FileMode) (int, error) {
 	_, err := os.Stat(path)
-	if !os.IsNotExist(err) { //permission errors generated if use os.IsExist
+	if !os.IsNotExist(err) { //note, os.IsExist(err) != !os.IsNotExist(err)
 		return 0, nil
 	}
 	err = ioutil.WriteFile(path, []byte(data), perm)
diff --git a/cmd/commands/query.go b/cmd/commands/query.go
index f73ed0ada0d8..7d79c2f1f2f6 100644
--- a/cmd/commands/query.go
+++ b/cmd/commands/query.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func verifyCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	proofBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(StripHex(proofFlag))
 	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Errorf("Proof (%v) is invalid hex: %v\n", proofBytes, err)
+		return errors.Errorf("Proof (%v) is invalid hex: %v\n", proofFlag, err)
 	}
 
 	proof, err := merkle.ReadProof(proofBytes)