diff --git a/src/caffe/util/upgrade_proto.cpp b/src/caffe/util/upgrade_proto.cpp
index 449975bd733..9e186915b43 100644
--- a/src/caffe/util/upgrade_proto.cpp
+++ b/src/caffe/util/upgrade_proto.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
 namespace caffe {
 
 bool NetNeedsUpgrade(const NetParameter& net_param) {
-  return NetNeedsV0ToV1Upgrade(net_param) || NetNeedsV1ToV2Upgrade(net_param);
+  return NetNeedsV0ToV1Upgrade(net_param) || NetNeedsV1ToV2Upgrade(net_param)
+      || NetNeedsDataUpgrade(net_param) || NetNeedsInputUpgrade(net_param);
 }
 
 bool UpgradeNetAsNeeded(const string& param_file, NetParameter* param) {
@@ -655,12 +656,14 @@ void UpgradeNetDataTransformation(NetParameter* net_param) {
 }
 
 bool UpgradeV1Net(const NetParameter& v1_net_param, NetParameter* net_param) {
-  bool is_fully_compatible = true;
   if (v1_net_param.layer_size() > 0) {
-    LOG(ERROR) << "Input NetParameter to be upgraded already specifies 'layer' "
-               << "fields; these will be ignored for the upgrade.";
-    is_fully_compatible = false;
+    LOG(FATAL) << "Refusing to upgrade inconsistent NetParameter input; "
+        << "the definition includes both 'layer' and 'layers' fields. "
+        << "The current format defines 'layer' fields with string type like "
+        << "layer { type: 'Layer' ... } and not layers { type: LAYER ... }. "
+        << "Manually switch the definition to 'layer' format to continue.";
   }
+  bool is_fully_compatible = true;
   net_param->CopyFrom(v1_net_param);
   net_param->clear_layers();
   net_param->clear_layer();
@@ -952,29 +955,35 @@ bool NetNeedsInputUpgrade(const NetParameter& net_param) {
 }
 
 void UpgradeNetInput(NetParameter* net_param) {
-  LayerParameter* layer_param = net_param->add_layer();
-  layer_param->set_name("input");
-  layer_param->set_type("Input");
-  InputParameter* input_param = layer_param->mutable_input_param();
+  // Collect inputs and convert to Input layer definitions.
+  // If the NetParameter holds an input alone, without shape/dim, then
+  // it's a legacy caffemodel and simply stripping the input field is enough.
   bool has_shape = net_param->input_shape_size() > 0;
-  // Convert input fields into a layer.
-  for (int i = 0; i < net_param->input_size(); ++i) {
-    layer_param->add_top(net_param->input(i));
-    if (has_shape) {
-      input_param->add_shape()->CopyFrom(net_param->input_shape(i));
-    } else {
-      // Turn legacy input dimensions into shape.
-      BlobShape* shape = input_param->add_shape();
-      int first_dim = i*4;
-      int last_dim = first_dim + 4;
-      for (int j = first_dim; j < last_dim; j++) {
-        shape->add_dim(net_param->input_dim(j));
+  bool has_dim = net_param->input_dim_size() > 0;
+  if (has_shape || has_dim) {
+    LayerParameter* layer_param = net_param->add_layer();
+    layer_param->set_name("input");
+    layer_param->set_type("Input");
+    InputParameter* input_param = layer_param->mutable_input_param();
+    // Convert input fields into a layer.
+    for (int i = 0; i < net_param->input_size(); ++i) {
+      layer_param->add_top(net_param->input(i));
+      if (has_shape) {
+        input_param->add_shape()->CopyFrom(net_param->input_shape(i));
+      } else {
+        // Turn legacy input dimensions into shape.
+        BlobShape* shape = input_param->add_shape();
+        int first_dim = i*4;
+        int last_dim = first_dim + 4;
+        for (int j = first_dim; j < last_dim; j++) {
+          shape->add_dim(net_param->input_dim(j));
+        }
       }
     }
-  }
-  // Swap input layer to beginning of net to satisfy layer dependencies.
-  for (int i = net_param->layer_size() - 1; i > 0; --i) {
-    net_param->mutable_layer(i-1)->Swap(net_param->mutable_layer(i));
+    // Swap input layer to beginning of net to satisfy layer dependencies.
+    for (int i = net_param->layer_size() - 1; i > 0; --i) {
+      net_param->mutable_layer(i-1)->Swap(net_param->mutable_layer(i));
+    }
   }
   // Clear inputs.
   net_param->clear_input();
diff --git a/tools/upgrade_net_proto_binary.cpp b/tools/upgrade_net_proto_binary.cpp
index 8a0dd7af743..ede07ecc2ff 100644
--- a/tools/upgrade_net_proto_binary.cpp
+++ b/tools/upgrade_net_proto_binary.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ using std::ofstream;
 using namespace caffe;  // NOLINT(build/namespaces)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  FLAGS_alsologtostderr = 1;  // Print output to stderr (while still logging)
   ::google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
   if (argc != 3) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Usage: "
@@ -39,11 +40,11 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
                  << "see details above.";
     }
   } else {
-    LOG(ERROR) << "File already in V1 proto format: " << argv[1];
+    LOG(ERROR) << "File already in latest proto format: " << input_filename;
   }
 
   WriteProtoToBinaryFile(net_param, argv[2]);
 
-  LOG(ERROR) << "Wrote upgraded NetParameter binary proto to " << argv[2];
+  LOG(INFO) << "Wrote upgraded NetParameter binary proto to " << argv[2];
   return !success;
 }
diff --git a/tools/upgrade_net_proto_text.cpp b/tools/upgrade_net_proto_text.cpp
index 9200431bc27..617b48dc918 100644
--- a/tools/upgrade_net_proto_text.cpp
+++ b/tools/upgrade_net_proto_text.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ using std::ofstream;
 using namespace caffe;  // NOLINT(build/namespaces)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  FLAGS_alsologtostderr = 1;  // Print output to stderr (while still logging)
   ::google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
   if (argc != 3) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Usage: "
@@ -31,7 +32,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     return 2;
   }
   bool need_upgrade = NetNeedsUpgrade(net_param);
-  bool need_data_upgrade = NetNeedsDataUpgrade(net_param);
   bool success = true;
   if (need_upgrade) {
     success = UpgradeNetAsNeeded(input_filename, &net_param);
@@ -43,13 +43,9 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "File already in latest proto format: " << input_filename;
   }
 
-  if (need_data_upgrade) {
-    UpgradeNetDataTransformation(&net_param);
-  }
-
   // Save new format prototxt.
   WriteProtoToTextFile(net_param, argv[2]);
 
-  LOG(ERROR) << "Wrote upgraded NetParameter text proto to " << argv[2];
+  LOG(INFO) << "Wrote upgraded NetParameter text proto to " << argv[2];
   return !success;
 }
diff --git a/tools/upgrade_solver_proto_text.cpp b/tools/upgrade_solver_proto_text.cpp
index 7130232aed7..ddff1ce6bad 100644
--- a/tools/upgrade_solver_proto_text.cpp
+++ b/tools/upgrade_solver_proto_text.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ using std::ofstream;
 using namespace caffe;  // NOLINT(build/namespaces)
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+  FLAGS_alsologtostderr = 1;  // Print output to stderr (while still logging)
   ::google::InitGoogleLogging(argv[0]);
   if (argc != 3) {
     LOG(ERROR) << "Usage: upgrade_solver_proto_text "
@@ -45,6 +46,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
   // Save new format prototxt.
   WriteProtoToTextFile(solver_param, argv[2]);
 
-  LOG(ERROR) << "Wrote upgraded SolverParameter text proto to " << argv[2];
+  LOG(INFO) << "Wrote upgraded SolverParameter text proto to " << argv[2];
   return !success;
 }