diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 33e551b..ba5d36f 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,14 +5,10 @@ go 1.21
 require (
 	github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v4 v4.0.0-alpha.4
 	github.com/sigurn/crc16 v0.0.0-20211026045750-20ab5afb07e3
-	go.uber.org/zap v1.26.0
 	golang.org/x/crypto v0.18.0
 )
 
-require (
-	go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.16.0 // indirect
-)
+require golang.org/x/sys v0.16.0 // indirect
 
 replace apc-p15-tool/cmd => /cmd
 
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 6f71e27..96676f0 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,21 +1,9 @@
-github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
-github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2 v2.0.9 h1:uH2qQXheeefCCkuBBSLi7jCiSmj3VRh2+Goq2N7Xxu0=
 github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2 v2.0.9/go.mod h1:tJU2Z3ZkXwnxa4DPO899bsyIoywizdUvyaeZurnPPDc=
 github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v4 v4.0.0-alpha.4 h1:aiqS8aBlF9PsAKeMddMSfbwp3smONCn3UO8QfUg0Z7Y=
 github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v4 v4.0.0-alpha.4/go.mod h1:H/13DK46DKXy7EaIxPhk2Y0EC8aubKm35nBjBe8AAGc=
-github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
-github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/sigurn/crc16 v0.0.0-20211026045750-20ab5afb07e3 h1:aQKxg3+2p+IFXXg97McgDGT5zcMrQoi0EICZs8Pgchs=
 github.com/sigurn/crc16 v0.0.0-20211026045750-20ab5afb07e3/go.mod h1:9/etS5gpQq9BJsJMWg1wpLbfuSnkm8dPF6FdW2JXVhA=
-github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.1 h1:w7B6lhMri9wdJUVmEZPGGhZzrYTPvgJArz7wNPgYKsk=
-github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.1/go.mod h1:w2LPCIKwWwSfY2zedu0+kehJoqGctiVI29o6fzry7u4=
-go.uber.org/goleak v1.2.0 h1:xqgm/S+aQvhWFTtR0XK3Jvg7z8kGV8P4X14IzwN3Eqk=
-go.uber.org/goleak v1.2.0/go.mod h1:XJYK+MuIchqpmGmUSAzotztawfKvYLUIgg7guXrwVUo=
-go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0 h1:blXXJkSxSSfBVBlC76pxqeO+LN3aDfLQo+309xJstO0=
-go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0/go.mod h1:20+QtiLqy0Nd6FdQB9TLXag12DsQkrbs3htMFfDN80Y=
-go.uber.org/zap v1.26.0 h1:sI7k6L95XOKS281NhVKOFCUNIvv9e0w4BF8N3u+tCRo=
-go.uber.org/zap v1.26.0/go.mod h1:dtElttAiwGvoJ/vj4IwHBS/gXsEu/pZ50mUIRWuG0so=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.18.0 h1:PGVlW0xEltQnzFZ55hkuX5+KLyrMYhHld1YHO4AKcdc=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.18.0/go.mod h1:R0j02AL6hcrfOiy9T4ZYp/rcWeMxM3L6QYxlOuEG1mg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.16.0 h1:xWw16ngr6ZMtmxDyKyIgsE93KNKz5HKmMa3b8ALHidU=
@@ -24,5 +12,3 @@ golang.org/x/term v0.16.0 h1:m+B6fahuftsE9qjo0VWp2FW0mB3MTJvR0BaMQrq0pmE=
 golang.org/x/term v0.16.0/go.mod h1:yn7UURbUtPyrVJPGPq404EukNFxcm/foM+bV/bfcDsY=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0 h1:D8xgwECY7CYvx+Y2n4sBz93Jn9JRvxdiyyo8CTfuKaY=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0/go.mod h1:RDklbk79AGWmwhnvt/jBztapEOGDOx6ZbXqjP6csGnQ=
-gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
-gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
diff --git a/pkg/app/app.go b/pkg/app/app.go
index 69c0382..0d57bee 100644
--- a/pkg/app/app.go
+++ b/pkg/app/app.go
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ package app
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v4"
 	"github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v4/ffhelp"
-	"go.uber.org/zap"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -16,21 +17,24 @@ const (
 
 // struct for receivers to use common app pieces
 type app struct {
-	logger *zap.SugaredLogger
-	cmd    *ff.Command
-	config *config
+	stdLogger   *log.Logger
+	debugLogger *log.Logger
+	errLogger   *log.Logger
+	cmd         *ff.Command
+	config      *config
 }
 
 // actual application start
 func Start(args []string) {
-	// make app w/ initial logger pre-config
-	initLogLevel := "debug"
+	// make app w/ logger
 	app := &app{
-		logger: makeZapLogger(&initLogLevel),
+		stdLogger:   log.New(os.Stdout, "", 0),
+		debugLogger: log.New(io.Discard, "", 0), // discard debug logging by default
+		errLogger:   log.New(os.Stderr, "", 0),
 	}
 
 	// log start
-	app.logger.Infof("apc-p15-tool v%s", appVersion)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("apc-p15-tool v%s", appVersion)
 
 	// get os.Args if args unspecified in func
 	if args == nil {
@@ -40,8 +44,8 @@ func Start(args []string) {
 	// get & parse config
 	err := app.getConfig(args)
 
-	// re-init logger with configured log level
-	app.logger = makeZapLogger(app.config.logLevel)
+	// if debug logging, make real debug logger
+	app.debugLogger = log.New(os.Stdout, "debug: ", 0)
 
 	// deal with config err (after logger re-init)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ func Start(args []string) {
 
 		if errors.Is(err, ff.ErrHelp) {
 			// help explicitly requested
-			app.logger.Info("\n\n", ffhelp.Command(app.cmd))
+			app.stdLogger.Printf("\n%s\n", ffhelp.Command(app.cmd))
 
 		} else if errors.Is(err, ff.ErrDuplicateFlag) ||
 			errors.Is(err, ff.ErrUnknownFlag) ||
@@ -57,13 +61,13 @@ func Start(args []string) {
 			errors.Is(err, ErrExtraArgs) {
 			// other error that suggests user needs to see help
 			exitCode = 1
-			app.logger.Error(err)
-			app.logger.Info("\n\n", ffhelp.Command(app.cmd))
+			app.errLogger.Print(err)
+			app.stdLogger.Printf("\n%s\n", ffhelp.Command(app.cmd))
 
 		} else {
 			// any other error
 			exitCode = 1
-			app.logger.Error(err)
+			app.errLogger.Print(err)
 		}
 
 		os.Exit(exitCode)
@@ -74,9 +78,14 @@ func Start(args []string) {
 	err = app.cmd.Run(context.Background())
 	if err != nil {
 		exitCode = 1
-		app.logger.Error(err)
+		app.errLogger.Print(err)
+
+		// if extra args, show help
+		if errors.Is(err, ErrExtraArgs) {
+			app.stdLogger.Printf("\n%s\n", ffhelp.Command(app.cmd))
+		}
 	}
 
-	app.logger.Info("apc-p15-tool done")
+	app.stdLogger.Print("apc-p15-tool done")
 	os.Exit(exitCode)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/app/cmd_create.go b/pkg/app/cmd_create.go
index 209f10b..e0e0291 100644
--- a/pkg/app/cmd_create.go
+++ b/pkg/app/cmd_create.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func (app *app) cmdCreate(_ context.Context, args []string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create: failed to write apc p15 file (%s)", err)
 	}
 
-	app.logger.Infof("create: apc p15 file %s written to disk", fileName)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("create: apc p15 file %s written to disk", fileName)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/app/cmd_install.go b/pkg/app/cmd_install.go
index 8162e5b..ee8d08c 100644
--- a/pkg/app/cmd_install.go
+++ b/pkg/app/cmd_install.go
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ func (app *app) cmdInstall(cmdCtx context.Context, args []string) error {
 		// log fingerprint for debugging
 		actualHashB64 := base64.RawStdEncoding.EncodeToString(actualHash)
 		actualHashHex := hex.EncodeToString(actualHash)
-		app.logger.Debugf("ssh: remote server key fingerprint (b64): %s", actualHashB64)
-		app.logger.Debugf("ssh: remote server key fingerprint (hex): %s", actualHashHex)
+		app.debugLogger.Printf("ssh: remote server key fingerprint (b64): %s", actualHashB64)
+		app.debugLogger.Printf("ssh: remote server key fingerprint (hex): %s", actualHashHex)
 
 		// allow base64 format
 		if actualHashB64 == *app.config.install.fingerprint {
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (app *app) cmdInstall(cmdCtx context.Context, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// done
-	app.logger.Infof("install: apc p15 file installed on %s", *app.config.install.hostAndPort)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("install: apc p15 file installed on %s", *app.config.install.hostAndPort)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/app/config.go b/pkg/app/config.go
index 1b21fab..05564cf 100644
--- a/pkg/app/config.go
+++ b/pkg/app/config.go
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ type keyCertPemCfg struct {
 
 // app's config options from user
 type config struct {
-	logLevel *string
-	create   struct {
+	debugLogging *bool
+	create       struct {
 		keyCertPemCfg
 		outFilePath *string
 	}
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ func (app *app) getConfig(args []string) error {
 	// apc-p15-tool -- root command
 	rootFlags := ff.NewFlagSet("apc-p15-tool")
 
-	cfg.logLevel = rootFlags.StringEnum('l', "loglevel", "log level: debug, info, warn, error, dpanic, panic, or fatal",
-		"info", "debug", "warn", "error", "dpanic", "panic", "fatal")
+	cfg.debugLogging = rootFlags.BoolLong("debug", "set this flag to enable additional debug logging messages")
 
 	rootCmd := &ff.Command{
 		Name:  "apc-p15-tool",
diff --git a/pkg/app/logger.go b/pkg/app/logger.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 1846079..0000000
--- a/pkg/app/logger.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-package app
-
-import (
-	"os"
-
-	"go.uber.org/zap"
-	"go.uber.org/zap/zapcore"
-)
-
-// makeZapLogger creates a logger for the app; if log level is nil or does not parse
-// the default 'Info' level will be used.
-func makeZapLogger(logLevel *string) *zap.SugaredLogger {
-	// default info level
-	zapLevel := zapcore.InfoLevel
-	var parseErr error
-
-	// try to parse specified level (if there is one)
-	if logLevel != nil {
-		parseLevel, err := zapcore.ParseLevel(*logLevel)
-		if err != nil {
-			parseErr = err
-		} else {
-			zapLevel = parseLevel
-		}
-	}
-
-	// make zap config
-	config := zap.NewProductionEncoderConfig()
-	config.EncodeTime = zapcore.ISO8601TimeEncoder
-	config.LineEnding = "\n"
-
-	// no stack trace
-	config.StacktraceKey = ""
-
-	// make logger
-	consoleEncoder := zapcore.NewConsoleEncoder(config)
-	core := zapcore.NewCore(consoleEncoder, zapcore.AddSync(os.Stdout), zapLevel)
-
-	logger := zap.New(core, zap.AddCaller(), zap.AddStacktrace(zapcore.ErrorLevel)).Sugar()
-
-	// log deferred parse error if there was one
-	if logLevel != nil && parseErr != nil {
-		logger.Errorf("failed to parse requested log level \"%s\" (%s)", *logLevel, parseErr)
-	}
-
-	return logger
-}
diff --git a/pkg/app/pem_to_p15.go b/pkg/app/pem_to_p15.go
index cab6885..eb020aa 100644
--- a/pkg/app/pem_to_p15.go
+++ b/pkg/app/pem_to_p15.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 // pemToAPCP15 reads the specified pem files and returns the apc p15 bytes
 func (app *app) pemToAPCP15(keyPem, certPem []byte, parentCmdName string) ([]byte, error) {
-	app.logger.Infof("%s: making apc p15 file from pem", parentCmdName)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("%s: making apc p15 file from pem", parentCmdName)
 
 	// make p15 struct
 	p15, err := pkcs15.ParsePEMToPKCS15(keyPem, certPem)
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func (app *app) pemToAPCP15(keyPem, certPem []byte, parentCmdName string) ([]byt
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: failed to parse pem files (%w)", parentCmdName, err)
 	}
 
-	app.logger.Infof("%s: successfully loaded pem files", parentCmdName)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("%s: successfully loaded pem files", parentCmdName)
 
 	// make file bytes
 	p15File, err := p15.ToP15File()
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (app *app) pemToAPCP15(keyPem, certPem []byte, parentCmdName string) ([]byt
 	// combine header with file
 	apcFile := append(apcHeader, p15File...)
 
-	app.logger.Infof("%s: apc p15 file data succesfully generated", parentCmdName)
+	app.stdLogger.Printf("%s: apc p15 file data succesfully generated", parentCmdName)
 
 	return apcFile, nil
 }