diff --git a/bin/autojump.bash b/bin/autojump.bash
index 3451f49..6447900 100644
--- a/bin/autojump.bash
+++ b/bin/autojump.bash
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@ if [ -d ~/.autojump/ ]; then
 fi
 
 
+# set error file location
+if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH=~/Library/autojump/errors.log
+elif [[ -n "${XDG_DATA_HOME}" ]]; then
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH="${XDG_DATA_HOME}/autojump/errors.log"
+else
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH=~/.local/share/autojump/errors.log
+fi
+
+
 # enable tab completion
 _autojump() {
         local cur
@@ -20,7 +30,7 @@ complete -F _autojump j
 
 # change pwd hook
 autojump_add_to_database() {
-    (autojump -a "$(pwd)" &) &>/dev/null
+    (autojump --add "$(pwd)" >/dev/null 2>${AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH} &) &>/dev/null
 }
 
 case $PROMPT_COMMAND in
diff --git a/bin/autojump.fish b/bin/autojump.fish
index f31f1df..aa0de49 100644
--- a/bin/autojump.fish
+++ b/bin/autojump.fish
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ end
 
 # misc helper functions
 function __aj_err
+    # TODO(ting|2014-01-07): set error file location
     echo $argv 1>&2; false
 end
 
diff --git a/bin/autojump.zsh b/bin/autojump.zsh
index 51a03a4..80c09b4 100644
--- a/bin/autojump.zsh
+++ b/bin/autojump.zsh
@@ -11,12 +11,19 @@ command -v brew &>/dev/null \
     && fpath=(`brew --prefix`/share/zsh/site-functions ${fpath})
 
 
-# tab completion handled by _j file
+# set error file location
+if [[ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]]; then
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH=~/Library/autojump/errors.log
+elif [[ -n "${XDG_DATA_HOME}" ]]; then
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH="${XDG_DATA_HOME}/autojump/errors.log"
+else
+    export AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH=~/.local/share/autojump/errors.log
+fi
 
 
 # change pwd hook
 autojump_chpwd() {
-    (autojump -a "$(pwd)" &) &>/dev/null
+    autojump --add "$(pwd)" >/dev/null 2>${AUTOJUMP_ERROR_PATH} &!
 }
 
 typeset -gaU chpwd_functions