diff --git a/mpbb-install-dependencies b/mpbb-install-dependencies
index dfe7616..60b93e2 100644
--- a/mpbb-install-dependencies
+++ b/mpbb-install-dependencies
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ install-dependencies() {
     dependencies=$("${option_prefix}/bin/port-tclsh" "${thisdir}/tools/dependencies.tcl" "${option_port}")
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Calculating dependencies for '${option_port}' failed, aborting." >&2
-        echo "[FAIL dependencies]" >> "$log_subports_progress"
+        echo "Building '${option_port}' ... [ERROR] (failed to calculate dependencies)" >> "$log_subports_progress"
         return 1
     fi
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ install-dependencies() {
         if ! "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -d install --unrequested "$depname" $depvariants; then
             echo "Build of dependency '${depname}' failed, aborting." >&2
             echo "[FAIL]" >> "$log_status_dependencies"
-            echo "[FAIL dependency '${depname}']" >> "$log_subports_progress"
+            echo "Building '${option_port}' ... [ERROR] (failed to install dependency '${depname}')" >> "$log_subports_progress"
             return 1
         else
             echo "[OK]" >> "$log_status_dependencies"
diff --git a/mpbb-install-port b/mpbb-install-port
index 67abcb8..17d1501 100644
--- a/mpbb-install-port
+++ b/mpbb-install-port
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ install-port() {
     #> "$log_port_contents"
     > "$log_port_stats"
 
-    # log: summary for the portwatcher
-    echo -n "- Installing ${option_port} ... " >> "$log_subports_progress"
-
     local time_start
     local time_stop
     time_start=$(date +%s)
@@ -37,12 +34,14 @@ install-port() {
     # shellcheck disable=SC2154
     if ! "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -dk install "${option_port}"; then
         echo "Build of '${option_port}' failed."
-        echo "[FAIL]" >> "$log_subports_progress"
+        # log: summary for the portwatcher
+        echo "Building '${option_port}' ... [ERROR]" >> "$log_subports_progress"
         return 1
     fi
     time_stop=$(date +%s)
 
-    echo "[OK]" >> "$log_subports_progress"
+    # log: summary for the portwatcher
+    echo "Building '${option_port}' ... [OK]" >> "$log_subports_progress"
 
     # log: contents
     "${option_prefix}/bin/port" -q contents "${option_port}" > "$log_port_contents"
diff --git a/mpbb-list-subports b/mpbb-list-subports
index d4fa80e..05dd0a0 100644
--- a/mpbb-list-subports
+++ b/mpbb-list-subports
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ print-subports() {
     local reason
     # $option_logdir is set in mpbb
     # shellcheck disable=SC2154
-    local log_subports_progress="${option_logdir}/ports-progress.txt"
 
     os_version="$(sw_vers -productVersion | cut -d . -f 1-2)"
     is_64bit_capable="$(sysctl -n hw.cpu64bit_capable)"
@@ -55,17 +54,13 @@ print-subports() {
 
         if [ $exclude -eq 0 ]; then
             echo "$port"
-            echo "- $port: added" >> "$log_subports_progress"
         else
             if [ ${#exclude_reasons[@]} -eq 1 ]; then
                 echo >&2 "Excluding '${port}' because ${exclude_reasons[0]}."
-                echo "- $port: SKIPPED because ${exclude_reasons[0]}" >> "$log_subports_progress"
             else
                 echo >&2 "Excluding '${port}' for the following reasons:"
-                echo "- $port: SKIPPED for the following reasons" >> "$log_subports_progress"
                 for reason in "${exclude_reasons[@]}"; do
                     echo >&2 " - ${reason}"
-                    echo "  - ${reason}" >> "$log_subports_progress"
                 done
             fi
         fi
@@ -84,7 +79,7 @@ list-subports() {
 
     # prepare the log file and make sure to start with an empty one
     mkdir -p "$option_logdir"
-    echo "== Adding subports ==" > "$log_subports_progress"
+    > "$log_subports_progress"
 
     if [ -n "${option_port}" ]; then
         print-subports "${option_port}" && success=1
@@ -98,6 +93,4 @@ list-subports() {
         errmsg "None of the specified ports were found in the port index."
         return 1
     fi
-
-    echo "== Building subports ==" >> "$log_subports_progress"
 }