diff --git a/visidata/plugins.py b/visidata/plugins.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/visidata/plugins.py
+++ b/visidata/plugins.py
@@ -140,8 +140,10 @@ class PluginsSheet(JsonLinesSheet):
                     stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
             out, err = p.communicate()
             vd.status(out.decode())
+            if err:
+                vd.warning(err.decode())
             if p.returncode != 0:
-                vd.fail('pip install failed:%s' % err.decode())
+                vd.fail('pip install failed')
         else:
             with vd.urlcache(plugin.url, days=0).open_text(encoding='utf-8') as pyfp:
                 contents = pyfp.read()
[plugins] pip stderr in warning

but only fail if returncode is non-zero