diff --git a/source/src/commands/create-service.cpp b/source/src/commands/create-service.cpp
index 66b4033..ce1c762 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/create-service.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/create-service.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ namespace dropshell
 {
 
     int create_service_handler(const CommandContext &ctx);
-    bool create_service(const std::string &server_name, const std::string &template_name, const std::string &service_name);
     void create_service_autocomplete(const CommandContext &ctx);
 
     static std::vector<std::string> create_service_name_list = {"create-service"};
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ namespace dropshell
         std::string service = safearg(ctx.args, 1);
         std::string template_name = safearg(ctx.args, 2);
 
-        return create_service(server, template_name, service) ? 0 : 1;
+        return shared_commands::create_service(server, template_name, service) ? 0 : 1;
     }
 
     void create_service_autocomplete(const CommandContext &ctx)
@@ -63,6 +62,9 @@ namespace dropshell
         }
     }
 
+    namespace shared_commands
+    {
+
     bool create_service(const std::string &server_name, const std::string &template_name, const std::string &service_name)
     {
         if (server_name.empty() || template_name.empty() || service_name.empty())
@@ -117,4 +119,6 @@ namespace dropshell
         return true;
     }
 
+    } // namespace shared_commands
+
 } // namespace dropshell
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp b/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
index dc52de1..f388042 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/nuke.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ namespace dropshell
 
                 service_info = get_service_info(server, service);
                 if (!SIvalid(service_info))
-                    error << "Warning: Invalid service: " << service << std::endl;
+                    error << "Invalid service: " << service << std::endl;
 
                 if (server_env.check_remote_dir_exists(remotepath::service(server, service)))
                 {
diff --git a/source/src/commands/restoredata.cpp b/source/src/commands/restoredata.cpp
index 6c66f10..43b964c 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/restoredata.cpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/restoredata.cpp
@@ -174,8 +174,20 @@ namespace dropshell
                 return 1;
         }
 
+        { // create the new service
+            info << "3) Creating new service..." << std::endl;
+            if (!shared_commands::create_service(server, service_info.template_name, service))
+                return 1;
+        }
+
+        { // installing fresh service
+            info << "4) Install of fresh service..." << std::endl;
+            if (!shared_commands::install_service(server, service))
+                return 1;
+        }
+
         { // restore service from backup
-            info << "3) Restoring service data from backup..." << std::endl;
+            info << "5) Restoring service data from backup..." << std::endl;
             std::string remote_backups_dir = remotepath::backups(server);
             std::string remote_backup_file_path = remote_backups_dir + "/" + backup_details->get_filename();
 
@@ -190,11 +202,7 @@ namespace dropshell
             server_env.run_remote_template_command(service, "restore", {}, false, {{"BACKUP_FILE", remote_backup_file_path}, {"TEMP_DIR", remote_temp_folder.path()}});
         } // dtor of remote_temp_folder will clean up the temp folder on the server
 
-        { // installing fresh service
-            info << "4) Non-destructive install of fresh service..." << std::endl;
-            if (!shared_commands::install_service(server, service))
-                return 1;
-        }
+
 
         { // healthcheck the service
             info << "5) Healthchecking service..." << std::endl;
diff --git a/source/src/commands/shared_commands.hpp b/source/src/commands/shared_commands.hpp
index c11bf6d..ccb7598 100644
--- a/source/src/commands/shared_commands.hpp
+++ b/source/src/commands/shared_commands.hpp
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ namespace dropshell
     // defined in install.cpp
     bool install_service(const std::string &server, const std::string &service);
 
+    // defined in create-service.cpp
+    bool create_service(const std::string &server_name, const std::string &template_name, const std::string &service_name);
+
     } // namespace shared_commands
 } // namespace dropshell
 #endif
diff --git a/source/src/config.cpp b/source/src/config.cpp
index 4588eac..3612b42 100644
--- a/source/src/config.cpp
+++ b/source/src/config.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 #include "utils/json.hpp"
 #include <filesystem>
 #include "utils/execute.hpp"
+#include "output.hpp"
+
+
 namespace dropshell {
 
 
@@ -150,7 +153,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> config::get_local_server_definition_paths() {
         if (path.is_string() && !path.empty())
             paths.push_back(path);
         else
-            std::cerr << "Warning: Invalid server definition path: " << path << std::endl;
+            warning << "Invalid server definition path: " << path << std::endl;
     }
     return paths;
 }
diff --git a/source/src/service_runner.cpp b/source/src/service_runner.cpp
index 2660b8f..0d7f1fa 100644
--- a/source/src/service_runner.cpp
+++ b/source/src/service_runner.cpp
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ bool service_runner::nuke(bool silent)
 
     std::string remote_service_path = remotepath::service(mServer, mService);
 
-    std::cout << "Service " << mService << " successfully nuked from " << mServer << std::endl;
+    info << "Service " << mService << " successfully nuked from " << mServer << std::endl;
 
     if (!silent) {
-        std::cout << "There's nothing left on the remote server." << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "You can remove the local files with:" << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "   rm -rf " << localpath::service(mServer,mService) << std::endl;
+        info << "There's nothing left on the remote server." << std::endl;
+        info << "You can remove the local files with:" << std::endl;
+        info << "   rm -rf " << localpath::service(mServer,mService) << std::endl;
     }
     return true;
 }
@@ -135,19 +135,19 @@ bool service_runner::fullnuke()
 {
     if (!nuke(true))
     {
-        std::cerr << "Warning: Nuke script failed, aborting fullnuke!" << std::endl;
+        warning << "Nuke script failed, aborting." << std::endl;
         return false;
     }
 
     std::string local_service_path = mServiceInfo.local_service_path;
     if (local_service_path.empty() || !fs::exists(local_service_path)) {
-        std::cerr << "Error: Service directory not found: " << local_service_path << std::endl;
+        error << "Service directory not found: " << local_service_path << std::endl;
         return false;
     }  
     
     std::string rm_cmd = "rm -rf " + quote(local_service_path);
     if (!execute_local_command("", rm_cmd, {}, nullptr, cMode::Silent)) {
-        std::cerr << "Failed to remove service directory" << std::endl;
+        error << "Failed to remove service directory" << std::endl;
         return false;
     }
     
diff --git a/source/src/services.cpp b/source/src/services.cpp
index 7cd62f2..0775d5b 100644
--- a/source/src/services.cpp
+++ b/source/src/services.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ std::vector<LocalServiceInfo> get_server_services_info(const std::string& server
                     if (!service.local_service_path.empty()) 
                         services.push_back(service);
                     else 
-                        std::cerr << "Warning: Failed to get service info for " << dirname << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
+                        warning << "Failed to get service info for " << dirname << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
                 }
             } // end of for 
     }
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ bool get_all_service_env_vars(const std::string &server_name, const std::string
             all_env_vars.merge(env_vars);
         }
         else
-            std::cout << "Warning: Expected environment file not found: " << file << std::endl;
+            warning << "Expected environment file not found: " << file << std::endl;
     };
 
     // Load environment files
@@ -198,11 +198,10 @@ bool get_all_service_env_vars(const std::string &server_name, const std::string
     // determine template name.
     auto it = all_env_vars.find("TEMPLATE");
     if (it == all_env_vars.end()) {
-        std::cerr << std::endl << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "Error: TEMPLATE variable not defined in service " << service_name << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "The TEMPLATE variable is required to determine the template name." << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "Please check the service.env file and the .template_info.env file in:" << std::endl;
-        std::cerr << "    " << localpath::service(server_name, service_name) << std::endl << std::endl;
+        error << "TEMPLATE variable not defined in service " << service_name << " on server " << server_name << std::endl;
+        info << "The TEMPLATE variable is required to determine the template name." << std::endl;
+        info << "Please check the service.env file and the .template_info.env file in:" << std::endl;
+        info << "    " << localpath::service(server_name, service_name) << std::endl << std::endl;
         return false;
     }
     template_info tinfo = gTemplateManager().get_template_info(it->second);
diff --git a/source/src/utils/directories.cpp b/source/src/utils/directories.cpp
index d3016cb..3393ca8 100644
--- a/source/src/utils/directories.cpp
+++ b/source/src/utils/directories.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 #include "directories.hpp"
 #include "config.hpp"
 #include "server_env_manager.hpp"
+#include "output.hpp"
+
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <filesystem>
 
+
 namespace fs = std::filesystem;
 
 namespace dropshell {
@@ -78,7 +81,7 @@ namespace localpath {
                 std::filesystem::path homedir_path(homedir);
                 return fs::canonical(homedir_path).string();
             }
-            std::cerr << "Warning: Couldn't determine user directory" << std::endl;
+            warning << "Couldn't determine user directory" << std::endl;
             return std::string();
         }
 } // namespace localpath