diff --git a/cmd/oci-image-tool/validate.go b/cmd/oci-image-tool/validate.go
index 0782fa9..2798ee8 100644
--- a/cmd/oci-image-tool/validate.go
+++ b/cmd/oci-image-tool/validate.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"log"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -37,9 +36,8 @@ var validateTypes = []string{
 }
 
 type validateCmd struct {
-	stdout *log.Logger
-	typ    string // the type to validate, can be empty string
-	refs   []string
+	typ  string // the type to validate, can be empty string
+	refs []string
 }
 
 var v validateCmd
@@ -94,17 +92,13 @@ func validatePath(name string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if v.stdout == nil {
-		v.stdout = log.New(os.Stdout, "oci-image-tool: ", 0)
-	}
-
 	switch typ {
 	case image.TypeImageLayout:
-		return image.ValidateLayout(name, v.refs, v.stdout)
+		return image.ValidateLayout(name, v.refs)
 	case image.TypeImageZip:
-		return image.ValidateZip(name, v.refs, v.stdout)
+		return image.ValidateZip(name, v.refs)
 	case image.TypeImage:
-		return image.ValidateFile(name, v.refs, v.stdout)
+		return image.ValidateFile(name, v.refs)
 	}
 
 	if len(v.refs) != 0 {
diff --git a/image/image.go b/image/image.go
index e5c0fe1..6590d11 100644
--- a/image/image.go
+++ b/image/image.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
@@ -29,25 +28,25 @@ import (
 
 // ValidateLayout walks through the given file tree and validates the manifest
 // pointed to by the given refs or returns an error if the validation failed.
-func ValidateLayout(src string, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
-	return validate(newPathWalker(src), refs, out)
+func ValidateLayout(src string, refs []string) error {
+	return validate(newPathWalker(src), refs)
 }
 
 // ValidateZip walks through the given file tree and validates the manifest
 // pointed to by the given refs or returns an error if the validation failed.
-func ValidateZip(src string, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
-	return validate(newZipWalker(src), refs, out)
+func ValidateZip(src string, refs []string) error {
+	return validate(newZipWalker(src), refs)
 }
 
 // ValidateFile opens the tar file given by the filename, then calls ValidateReader
-func ValidateFile(tarFile string, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
+func ValidateFile(tarFile string, refs []string) error {
 	f, err := os.Open(tarFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "unable to open file")
 	}
 	defer f.Close()
 
-	return Validate(f, refs, out)
+	return Validate(f, refs)
 }
 
 // Validate walks through a tar stream and validates the manifest.
@@ -55,8 +54,8 @@ func ValidateFile(tarFile string, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
 // * Checks that all referred blobs are valid
 // * Checks that mime-types are correct
 // returns error on validation failure
-func Validate(r io.ReadSeeker, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
-	return validate(newTarWalker(r), refs, out)
+func Validate(r io.ReadSeeker, refs []string) error {
+	return validate(newTarWalker(r), refs)
 }
 
 var validRefMediaTypes = []string{
@@ -64,7 +63,7 @@ var validRefMediaTypes = []string{
 	v1.MediaTypeImageIndex,
 }
 
-func validate(w walker, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
+func validate(w walker, refs []string) error {
 	if err := layoutValidate(w); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ func validate(w walker, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
 		// TODO(runcom): ugly, we'll need a better way and library
 		// to express log levels.
 		// see https://github.com/opencontainers/image-spec/issues/288
-		out.Print("WARNING: no descriptors found")
+		fmt.Println("WARNING: no descriptors found")
 	}
 
 	if len(refs) == 0 {
@@ -137,9 +136,7 @@ func validate(w walker, refs []string, out *log.Logger) error {
 			}
 		}
 
-		if out != nil {
-			out.Printf("reference %q: OK", ref)
-		}
+		fmt.Printf("reference %q: OK\n", ref)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/image/image_test.go b/image/image_test.go
index ed73dce..c4a9963 100644
--- a/image/image_test.go
+++ b/image/image_test.go
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestImageLayout(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = ValidateLayout(root, refTag, nil)
+	err = ValidateLayout(root, refTag)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}