diff --git a/lib/clilib.php b/lib/clilib.php
index 962a700f16e..ba243f1029e 100644
--- a/lib/clilib.php
+++ b/lib/clilib.php
@@ -26,6 +26,26 @@
 
 // NOTE: no MOODLE_INTERNAL test here, sometimes we use this before requiring Moodle libs!
 
+/**
+ * Write a text to the given stream
+ *
+ * @param string $text text to be written
+ * @param resource $stream output stream to be written to, defaults to STDOUT
+ */
+function cli_write($text, $stream=STDOUT) {
+    fwrite($stream, $text);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Write a text followed by an end of line symbol to the given stream
+ *
+ * @param string $text text to be written
+ * @param resource $stream output stream to be written to, defaults to STDOUT
+ */
+function cli_writeln($text, $stream=STDOUT) {
+    cli_write($text.PHP_EOL, $stream);
+}
+
 /**
  * Get input from user
  * @param string $prompt text prompt, should include possible options
@@ -35,8 +55,8 @@
  * @return string entered text
  */
 function cli_input($prompt, $default='', array $options=null, $casesensitiveoptions=false) {
-    echo $prompt;
-    echo "\n: ";
+    cli_writeln($prompt);
+    cli_write(': ');
     $input = fread(STDIN, 2048);
     $input = trim($input);
     if ($input === '') {
@@ -47,7 +67,7 @@ function cli_input($prompt, $default='', array $options=null, $casesensitiveopti
             $input = strtolower($input);
         }
         if (!in_array($input, $options)) {
-            echo "Incorrect value, please retry.\n"; // TODO: localize, mark as needed in install
+            cli_writeln(get_string('cliincorrectvalueretry', 'admin'));
             return cli_input($prompt, $default, $options, $casesensitiveoptions);
         }
     }
@@ -131,11 +151,11 @@ function cli_get_params(array $longoptions, array $shortmapping=null) {
  * @return mixed void or string
  */
 function cli_separator($return=false) {
-    $separator = str_repeat('-', 79)."\n";
+    $separator = str_repeat('-', 79).PHP_EOL;
     if ($return) {
         return $separator;
     } else {
-        echo $separator;
+        cli_write($separator);
     }
 }
 
@@ -146,11 +166,11 @@ function cli_separator($return=false) {
  * @return mixed void or string
  */
 function cli_heading($string, $return=false) {
-    $string = "== $string ==\n";
+    $string = "== $string ==".PHP_EOL;
     if ($return) {
         return $string;
     } else {
-        echo $string;
+        cli_write($string);
     }
 }
 
@@ -160,19 +180,18 @@ function cli_heading($string, $return=false) {
  * @return void
  */
 function cli_problem($text) {
-    fwrite(STDERR, $text."\n");
+    cli_writeln($text, STDERR);
 }
 
 /**
- * Write to standard out and error with exit in error.
+ * Write to standard error output and exit with the given code
  *
  * @param string $text
  * @param int $errorcode
  * @return void (does not return)
  */
 function cli_error($text, $errorcode=1) {
-    fwrite(STDERR, $text);
-    fwrite(STDERR, "\n");
+    cli_writeln($text.PHP_EOL, STDERR);
     die($errorcode);
 }
 
@@ -205,6 +224,6 @@ function cli_logo($padding=2, $return=false) {
     if ($return) {
         return $logo;
     } else {
-        echo $logo;
+        cli_write($logo);
     }
 }
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index 80c1da36bab..5d25e3f6da9 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
   unless other status is specified.
 * Plugins can extend the navigation for categories settings by declaring the following callback:
   <frankenstyle>_extend_navigation_category_settings(navigation_node, context_coursecat)
+* The clilib.php provides two new functions cli_write() and cli_writeln() that should be used for outputting texts from the command
+  line interface scripts.
 
 === 2.9.1 ===