diff --git a/include/argparse.h b/include/argparse.h
index 16ea78b7828..152e01ccf53 100644
--- a/include/argparse.h
+++ b/include/argparse.h
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class ArgumentParser {
   template <typename T>
   T retrieve(const String& name) {
     String unstripped = unstrip(name);
-    if (index.count(unstripped) == 0) logFatal(1) << "'" << unstripped << "' is not a known argument";
+    if (index.count(unstripped) == 0) fs::fatal() << "'" << unstripped << "' is not a known argument";
     size_t N = index[unstripped];
     T retrieved{};
     // try to cast the arguments
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class ArgumentParser {
         fulltype = "std::vector<" + arguments[N].typeName() + ">";
         sentence_starter = "These inputs are";
       }
-      logFatal(1) << "invalid cast of argument '" << name << "'. " << sentence_starter << " of type '"
+      fs::fatal() << "invalid cast of argument '" << name << "'. " << sentence_starter << " of type '"
                   << arguments[N].typeName() << "' and should be retrieved via " << term::dim()
                   << "retrieve<" << fulltype << ">(\"" << name << "\")" << term::reset() << ". " 
                   << "To change the expected type, modify the call to "
diff --git a/include/log.h b/include/log.h
index 2fba97eb2fb..2c1a89c18dd 100644
--- a/include/log.h
+++ b/include/log.h
@@ -77,10 +77,6 @@ namespace fs {
 
 }
 
-// temporary definitions
-#define logWarning    fs::warning()
-#define logFatal(ret) fs::fatal(ret)
-
 // old c-style error functions
 void    ErrorExit(int ecode, const char *fmt, ...);
 void    ErrorPrintf(int ecode, const char *fmt, ...);
diff --git a/mri_refine_seg/mri_refine_seg.cpp b/mri_refine_seg/mri_refine_seg.cpp
index ee0d68d8419..88c96a696f2 100644
--- a/mri_refine_seg/mri_refine_seg.cpp
+++ b/mri_refine_seg/mri_refine_seg.cpp
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
   // load input
   std::string segname = parser.retrieve<std::string>("in");
   MRI *seg = MRIread(segname.c_str());
-  if (!seg) logFatal(1) << "could not read input volume " << segname;
+  if (!seg) fs::fatal() << "could not read input volume " << segname;
   MRI *orig_seg = MRIcopy(seg, NULL);
 
   // allocate buffer for label mask (used for efficient cluster-finding)
diff --git a/mri_seg_overlap/mri_seg_overlap.cpp b/mri_seg_overlap/mri_seg_overlap.cpp
index d66ddd11ccf..447a520ff1c 100644
--- a/mri_seg_overlap/mri_seg_overlap.cpp
+++ b/mri_seg_overlap/mri_seg_overlap.cpp
@@ -65,15 +65,15 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   std::string seg1_fname = parser.retrieve<std::string>("seg1");
   MRI *seg1 = MRIread(seg1_fname.c_str());
-  if (!seg1) logFatal(1) << "could not read input volume " << seg1;
+  if (!seg1) fs::fatal() << "could not read input volume " << seg1;
 
   std::string seg2_fname = parser.retrieve<std::string>("seg2");
   MRI *seg2 = MRIread(seg2_fname.c_str());
-  if (!seg2) logFatal(1) << "could not read input volume " << seg2;
+  if (!seg2) fs::fatal() << "could not read input volume " << seg2;
 
   // check input dimensions
-  if (MRIdimMismatch(seg1, seg2, 0))  logFatal(1) << "input volumes must have matching dimensions";
-  if (seg1->nframes != seg2->nframes) logFatal(1) << "input volumes must have the same number of frames";
+  if (MRIdimMismatch(seg1, seg2, 0))  fs::fatal() << "input volumes must have matching dimensions";
+  if (seg1->nframes != seg2->nframes) fs::fatal() << "input volumes must have the same number of frames";
 
   // ------ retrieve user options ------
 
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     for (auto const &str : parser.retrieve<std::vector<std::string>>("measures")) {
       if (str == "dice") measures.push_back(OverlapMeasure("dice", &computeDice));
       else if (str == "jaccard") measures.push_back(OverlapMeasure("jaccard", &computeJaccard));
-      else logFatal(1) << "unknown measure '" << str << "'... options are: dice, jaccard";
+      else fs::fatal() << "unknown measure '" << str << "'... options are: dice, jaccard";
     }
   } else {
     // by default, only report dice scores
@@ -95,11 +95,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   // a few sanity checks on the user input
   if (parser.exists("labelfile") && parser.exists("labels")) {
-    logFatal(1) << "can't use both the --labels and --labelfile options together";
+    fs::fatal() << "can't use both the --labels and --labelfile options together";
   } else if (parser.exists("names") && !parser.exists("labels")) {
-    logFatal(1) << "the --names option must be used along with the --labels option";
+    fs::fatal() << "the --names option must be used along with the --labels option";
   } else if (parser.exists("seg") && (parser.exists("labelfile") || parser.exists("labels"))) {
-    logFatal(1) << "can't specify --seg in addition to a custom label list";
+    fs::fatal() << "can't specify --seg in addition to a custom label list";
   }
 
   // check if user wants to ignore label names
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
       // user provided custom label names as well 
       std::vector<std::string> names = parser.retrieve<std::vector<std::string>>("names");
       if (names.size() != labels.size()) {
-        logFatal(1) << "number of label names (" << labelnames.size() << ") must match "
+        fs::fatal() << "number of label names (" << labelnames.size() << ") must match "
                        "the number of specified labels (" << labels.size() << ")";
       }
       for (unsigned int i = 0 ; i < labels.size() ; i++) labelnames[labels[i]] = names[i];
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   } else if (parser.exists("labelfile")) {
     // user specified labels via a file - assume lookup-table format
     LookupTable lut(parser.retrieve<std::string>("labelfile"));
-    if (lut.empty()) logFatal(1) << "provided label file contains no valid labels";
+    if (lut.empty()) fs::fatal() << "provided label file contains no valid labels";
     labels = lut.labels();
     if (lut.hasNameInfo()) for (int i : labels) labelnames[i] = lut[i].name;
   } else if (parser.exists("seg")) {
@@ -190,13 +190,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   }
 
   // sanity check to make sure the label list isn't empty
-  if (labels.empty()) logFatal(1) << "no matching labels to report on";
+  if (labels.empty()) fs::fatal() << "no matching labels to report on";
 
   // determine default label names (if not already known) via FreeSurferColorLUT
   if (reportNames && labelnames.empty()) {
     LookupTable lut(std::string(std::getenv("FREESURFER_HOME")) + "/FreeSurferColorLUT.txt");
     if (lut.empty()) {
-      logWarning << "can't load default FreeSurferColorLUT - is FREESURFER_HOME set?";
+      fs::warning() << "can't load default FreeSurferColorLUT - is FREESURFER_HOME set?";
       reportNames = false;
     } else if (lut.hasNameInfo()) {
       for (int l : labels) labelnames[l] = lut[l].name;
diff --git a/mris_annot_diff/mris_annot_diff.cpp b/mris_annot_diff/mris_annot_diff.cpp
index 90a029c5622..d00576fd59e 100644
--- a/mris_annot_diff/mris_annot_diff.cpp
+++ b/mris_annot_diff/mris_annot_diff.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
   // compare lengths
   int length = annot1.size();
-  if (length != annot2.size()) logFatal(1) << "annotation sizes (" << length << " and " << annot2.size() << ") do not match";
+  if (length != annot2.size()) fs::fatal() << "annotation sizes (" << length << " and " << annot2.size() << ") do not match";
 
   // diff labels
   int ndiffs = 0;
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (annot1[i] != annot2[i]) ndiffs++;
   }
 
-  if (ndiffs > 0) logFatal(1) << "found " << ndiffs << " differences between annotations";
+  if (ndiffs > 0) fs::fatal() << "found " << ndiffs << " differences between annotations";
   exit(0);
 }
diff --git a/mris_defects_pointset/mris_defects_pointset.cpp b/mris_defects_pointset/mris_defects_pointset.cpp
index 63f9726ebc4..1697694495b 100644
--- a/mris_defects_pointset/mris_defects_pointset.cpp
+++ b/mris_defects_pointset/mris_defects_pointset.cpp
@@ -39,16 +39,16 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   std::string surfpath = parser.retrieve<std::string>("surf");
   std::cout << "Reading in surface " << surfpath << std::endl;
   MRIS *surf = MRISread(surfpath.c_str());
-  if (!surf) logFatal(1) << "could not read surface";
+  if (!surf) fs::fatal() << "could not read surface";
 
   // load defect overlay
   std::string defectpath = parser.retrieve<std::string>("defects");
   std::cout << "Reading in defect segmentation " << defectpath << std::endl;
   MRI *overlay = MRIread(defectpath.c_str());
-  if (!overlay) logFatal(1) << "could not read defect segmentation";
+  if (!overlay) fs::fatal() << "could not read defect segmentation";
 
   if (overlay->width != surf->nvertices) {
-    logFatal(1) << "error: defect overlay (" << overlay->width << " points) "
+    fs::fatal() << "error: defect overlay (" << overlay->width << " points) "
                 << "does not match surface (" << surf->nvertices << " vertices)";
   }
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     std::string labelpath = parser.retrieve<std::string>("label");
     std::cout << "Reading in label " << labelpath << std::endl;
     LABEL *label = LabelRead(NULL, labelpath.c_str());
-    if (!label) logFatal(1) << "could not read label";
+    if (!label) fs::fatal() << "could not read label";
     // set values outside of the label to 0
     MRI *tmp = MRISlabel2Mask(surf, label, NULL);
     for (int v = 0 ; v < surf->nvertices ; v++) {
diff --git a/mris_resample/mris_resample.cpp b/mris_resample/mris_resample.cpp
index 0652f276817..5db7b12aeff 100644
--- a/mris_resample/mris_resample.cpp
+++ b/mris_resample/mris_resample.cpp
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ IoParams::parse(int ac, char** av)
 
   annotation = false;
 
-  if (strAnnotationOut.empty() && !strAnnotationIn.empty()) logFatal(1) << "missing --annot_out flag";
-  if (!strAnnotationOut.empty() && strAnnotationIn.empty()) logFatal(1) << "missing --annot_in flag";
+  if (strAnnotationOut.empty() && !strAnnotationIn.empty()) fs::fatal() << "missing --annot_out flag";
+  if (!strAnnotationOut.empty() && strAnnotationIn.empty()) fs::fatal() << "missing --annot_in flag";
 
   if (!strAnnotationOut.empty() && !strAnnotationIn.empty()) {
     annotation = true;
diff --git a/utils/annotation.cpp b/utils/annotation.cpp
index ea3422b9ffe..d8172997888 100644
--- a/utils/annotation.cpp
+++ b/utils/annotation.cpp
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ int print_annotation_colortable(FILE *fp)
 std::vector<int> readAnnotationIntoVector(const std::string& filename)
 {
   FILE *file = fopen(filename.c_str(), "r");
-  if (!file) logFatal(1) << "could not open " << filename;
+  if (!file) fs::fatal() << "could not open " << filename;
 
   std::map<int,int> annotmap;
   int num = freadInt(file);
diff --git a/utils/argparse.cpp b/utils/argparse.cpp
index 8183feae998..200940c57f1 100644
--- a/utils/argparse.cpp
+++ b/utils/argparse.cpp
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@
 static std::string verifyOption(const std::string& name)
 {
   if (name.empty())
-    logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration. Argument names must not be empty";
+    fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration. Argument names must not be empty";
   if ((name.size() == 2 && name[0] != '-') || name.size() == 3)
-    logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << name << "'. Short names must begin with '-'";
+    fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << name << "'. Short names must begin with '-'";
   if (name.size() > 3 && (name[0] != '-' || name[1] != '-'))
-    logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << name << "'. Multi-character names must begin with '--'";
+    fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << name << "'. Multi-character names must begin with '--'";
   return name;
 }
 
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@ ArgumentParser::Argument::Argument(const ArgumentParser::String& _short_name, co
 
   // check for illogical option flags
   if ((min_args == 0) && (argtype != ArgType::Bool)) {
-    logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << canonicalName() << "'. "
+    fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << canonicalName() << "'. "
                 << "Option flags that accept no input must be of type ArgType::Bool";
   }
   if ((min_args == 0) && required) {
-    logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << canonicalName() << "'. "
+    fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << canonicalName() << "'. "
                 << "Required flags must accept at least one input";
   }
 }
@@ -115,11 +115,11 @@ ArgumentParser::Argument::Argument(const ArgumentParser::String& _short_name, co
 void ArgumentParser::Argument::validate()
 {
   if (positional && consumed < min_args)
-    logFatal(2) << "not enough positional arguments supplied";
+    fs::fatal(2) << "not enough positional arguments supplied";
   if (fixed && fixed_nargs != consumed)
-    logFatal(2) << "not enough inputs passed to option '" << canonicalName() << "' (expected " << fixed_nargs << ")";
+    fs::fatal(2) << "not enough inputs passed to option '" << canonicalName() << "' (expected " << fixed_nargs << ")";
   if (!fixed && variable_nargs == '+' && consumed < 1)
-    logFatal(2) << "option '" << canonicalName() << "' requires at least one input";
+    fs::fatal(2) << "option '" << canonicalName() << "' requires at least one input";
 }
 
 
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::parse(size_t ac, char** av)
         if (index.count(future) == 0) args_following++;
       }
       if (arguments[index[element]].min_args > args_following) {
-        logFatal(2) << "not enough inputs supplied to '" << element << "'";
+        fs::fatal(2) << "not enough inputs supplied to '" << element << "'";
       }
     }
   }
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::parse(size_t ac, char** av)
         // if so, let's get the next set of positional arguments
         posidx++;
         if (posidx >= positionals.size()) {
-          logFatal(2) << "unexpected argument '" << element << "'";
+          fs::fatal(2) << "unexpected argument '" << element << "'";
         } else {
           active = positionals[posidx];
         }
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::parse(size_t ac, char** av)
           }
         }
       } catch (...) {
-        logFatal(2) << "input '" << element << "' cannot be converted to expected type (" << active.typeName() << ")";
+        fs::fatal(2) << "input '" << element << "' cannot be converted to expected type (" << active.typeName() << ")";
       }
       variables[N].exists = true;
       active.consumed++;
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::parse(size_t ac, char** av)
   for (ArgumentVector::const_iterator it = arguments.begin(); it != arguments.end(); ++it) {
     Argument arg = *it;
     if (arg.required && !exists(arg.canonicalName())) {
-      logFatal(2) << "missing required input '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
+      fs::fatal(2) << "missing required input '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
     }
   }
 }
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ bool ArgumentParser::exists(const String& name)
 {
   // first check if name is a valid argument key
   String unstripped = unstrip(name);
-  if (index.count(unstripped) == 0) logFatal(1) << "'" << unstripped << "' is not a known argument";
+  if (index.count(unstripped) == 0) fs::fatal() << "'" << unstripped << "' is not a known argument";
   return variables[index[unstripped]].exists;
 }
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
       case ArgType::Float  : variables.push_back(float(0)); break;
       case ArgType::Bool   : variables.push_back(false); break;
       case ArgType::String : variables.push_back(String()); break;
-      default : logFatal(1) << "unknown argument type for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
+      default : fs::fatal() << "unknown argument type for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
     }
   } else {
     switch(arg.argtype) {
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
       case ArgType::Float  : variables.push_back(FloatVector()); break;
       case ArgType::Bool   : variables.push_back(std::vector<bool>()); break;
       case ArgType::String : variables.push_back(StringVector()); break;
-      default : logFatal(1) << "unknown argument type for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
+      default : fs::fatal() << "unknown argument type for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'";
     }
   }
 
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
   for (IndexMap::iterator it = index.begin(); it != index.end(); it++) {
     String stripped = strip(it->first);
     if (stripped == strip(arg.short_name) || stripped == strip(arg.name)) {
-      logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration. '" << arg.canonicalName() << "' is used twice";
+      fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration. '" << arg.canonicalName() << "' is used twice";
     }
   }
 
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
   if (!arg.fixed) {
     if (arg.positional) {
       if (variable_positional) {
-        logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'. "
+        fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'. "
                     << "Two positional arguments cannot both have a variable amount of inputs, "
                     << "as this could lead to an undefined boundary between the two";
       }
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
       variable_flag = true;
     }
     if (variable_positional && variable_flag) {
-      logFatal(1) << "invalid argument configuration for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'. "
+      fs::fatal() << "invalid argument configuration for '" << arg.canonicalName() << "'. "
                   << "A positional argument and flagged argument cannot both have a variable "
                   << "amount of inputs, as this could lead to an undefined boundary between the two";
     }
@@ -411,4 +411,4 @@ void ArgumentParser::insertArgument(const ArgumentParser::Argument& arg)
   // add argument name to the index
   if (!arg.short_name.empty()) index[arg.short_name] = N;
   if (!arg.name.empty()) index[arg.name] = N;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/utils/mri.cpp b/utils/mri.cpp
index 593af5180c6..d7e91a8d65a 100644
--- a/utils/mri.cpp
+++ b/utils/mri.cpp
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ extern int errno;
 MRI::Shape::Shape(const std::vector<int>& shape) {
   // validate dimensions
   int dims = shape.size();
-  if ((dims != 3) && (dims != 4)) logFatal(1) << "volume must be 3D or 4D (provided shape has " << dims << " dimensions)";
+  if ((dims != 3) && (dims != 4)) fs::fatal() << "volume must be 3D or 4D (provided shape has " << dims << " dimensions)";
 
   // validate size
   for (auto const & len : shape) {
-    if (len <= 0) logFatal(1) << "volume size must be greater than 0 in every dimension";
+    if (len <= 0) fs::fatal() << "volume size must be greater than 0 in every dimension";
   }
 
   width = shape[0];
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ MRI::MRI(Shape volshape, int dtype, bool alloc) : shape(volshape), type(dtype)
 
   // set data type
   bytes_per_vox = MRIsizeof(type);
-  if (bytes_per_vox < 1) logFatal(1) << "unsupported MRI data type: " << type;
+  if (bytes_per_vox < 1) fs::fatal() << "unsupported MRI data type: " << type;
   vox_per_row = width;
   vox_per_slice = vox_per_row * height;
   vox_per_vol = vox_per_slice * depth;