diff --git a/fs_edit_general.lua b/fs_edit_general.lua
index f79e9fd..201ce37 100644
--- a/fs_edit_general.lua
+++ b/fs_edit_general.lua
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ end
 -- The function is called by
 --   * yl_speak_up.eval_precondition and
 --   * yl_speak_up.eval_effect.
+-- The npc also needs a priv to execute this.
 yl_speak_up.eval_and_execute_function = function(player, x_v, id_prefix)
 	local pname = player:get_player_name()
 
@@ -60,14 +61,9 @@ yl_speak_up.eval_and_execute_function = function(player, x_v, id_prefix)
 
         local code = x_v[ id_prefix.."value" ]
         if code:byte(1) == 27 then
-            local obj = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].obj
-            local n_id = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].n_id
-            local npc = yl_speak_up.get_number_from_id(n_id)
-            if obj:get_luaentity() and tonumber(npc) then
-                minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID n_"..npc.." at position "..minetest.pos_to_string(obj:get_pos(),0).." could not compile the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " because of illegal bytecode for player "..pname)
-            else
-                minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID unknown could not compile the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " for player unknown because of illegal bytecode")
-            end
+		yl_speak_up.log_error_with_position(pname, n_id,
+			"could not compile the content of "..tostring(x_id).." :"..dump(code)..
+			" because of illegal bytecode for player "..tostring(pname))
         end
 
 	local param = "playername"
@@ -77,28 +73,18 @@ yl_speak_up.eval_and_execute_function = function(player, x_v, id_prefix)
         local f, msg = loadstring("return function("..param..") " .. code .. " end")
 
         if not f then
-            local obj = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].obj
-            local n_id = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].n_id
-            local npc = yl_speak_up.get_number_from_id(n_id)
-            if obj:get_luaentity() and tonumber(npc) then
-                minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID n_"..npc.." at position "..minetest.pos_to_string(obj:get_pos(),0).." could not compile the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " for player "..pname)
-            else
-                minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID unknown could not compile the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " for player unknown")
-            end
+		yl_speak_up.log_error_with_position(pname, n_id,
+			"could not compile the content of "..tostring(x_id).." :"..dump(code)..
+			" for player "..tostring(pname))
         else
             local func = f()
 
             local ok, ret = pcall(func,pname)
 
             if not ok then
-                local obj = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].obj
-                local n_id = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].n_id
-                local npc = yl_speak_up.get_number_from_id(n_id)
-                if obj:get_luaentity() and tonumber(npc) then
-                    minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID n_"..npc.." at position "..minetest.pos_to_string(obj:get_pos(),0).." could not execute the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " for player "..pname)
-                else
-                    minetest.log("error","[MOD] yl_speak_up: NPC with ID unknown could not execute the content of "..x_id.." :"..dump(code) .. " for player unknown")
-                end
+		yl_speak_up.log_error_with_position(pname, n_id,
+			"could not execute the content of "..tostring(x_id).." :"..dump(code)..
+			" for player "..tostring(pname))
             end
 
             if type(ret) == "boolean" then
diff --git a/fs_log.lua b/fs_log.lua
index 52a33c0..9a269fd 100644
--- a/fs_log.lua
+++ b/fs_log.lua
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ yl_speak_up.log_change = function(pname, n_id, text)
 	log_text = tostring(os.date("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S ")..tostring(pname).." "..text.."\n")
 	-- actually append to the logfile
 	local file, err = io.open(yl_speak_up.worldpath..yl_speak_up.log_path..DIR_DELIM..
-					"log_"..n_id..".txt", "a")
+					"log_"..tostring(n_id)..".txt", "a")
 	if err then
 		minetest.log("[yl_speak_up] Error saving NPC logfile: "..minetest.serialize(err))
 		return
@@ -34,3 +34,20 @@ yl_speak_up.log_change = function(pname, n_id, text)
 	file:write(log_text)
 	file:close()
 end
+
+-- this is used by yl_speak_up.eval_and_execute_function(..) in fs_edit_general.lua
+yl_speak_up.log_error_with_position = function(pname, n_id, text)
+	if(not(pname) or not(yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname])) then
+		yl_speak_up.log_change(pname, n_id,
+			"error: -npc not found- "..tostring(text))
+		return
+	end
+	local obj = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].obj
+	local n_id = yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].n_id
+	local pos_str = "-unknown-"
+	if obj:get_luaentity() and tonumber(npc) then
+		pos_str = minetest.pos_to_string(obj:get_pos(),0)
+	end
+	yl_speak_up.log_change(pname, n_id,
+		"error: NPC at position "..pos_str.." "..tostring(text))
+end