diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/FileDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/FileDownloader.php
index 653015bab..676b2977e 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/FileDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/FileDownloader.php
@@ -366,7 +366,6 @@ class FileDownloader implements DownloaderInterface, ChangeReportInterface
 
         return $promise->then(function () use ($self, $target, $path, $io) {
             $promise = $self->install($target, $path, false);
-            $io->writeError('');
 
             return $promise;
         });
diff --git a/src/Composer/Downloader/PathDownloader.php b/src/Composer/Downloader/PathDownloader.php
index 4cfe616ea..0a0461a4a 100644
--- a/src/Composer/Downloader/PathDownloader.php
+++ b/src/Composer/Downloader/PathDownloader.php
@@ -87,30 +87,9 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
         }
 
         // Get the transport options with default values
-        $transportOptions = $package->getTransportOptions() + array('symlink' => null, 'relative' => true);
+        $transportOptions = $package->getTransportOptions() + array('relative' => true);
 
-        // When symlink transport option is null, both symlink and mirror are allowed
-        $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK;
-        $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK, self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
-
-        $mirrorPathRepos = getenv('COMPOSER_MIRROR_PATH_REPOS');
-        if ($mirrorPathRepos) {
-            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
-        }
-
-        if (true === $transportOptions['symlink']) {
-            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK;
-            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK);
-        } elseif (false === $transportOptions['symlink']) {
-            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
-            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
-        }
-
-        // Check we can use junctions safely if we are on Windows
-        if (Platform::isWindows() && self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK === $currentStrategy && !$this->safeJunctions()) {
-            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
-            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
-        }
+        list($currentStrategy, $allowedStrategies) = $this->computeAllowedStrategies($transportOptions);
 
         $symfonyFilesystem = new SymfonyFilesystem();
         $this->filesystem->removeDirectory($path);
@@ -120,11 +99,13 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
         }
 
         $isFallback = false;
-        if (self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK == $currentStrategy) {
+        if (self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK === $currentStrategy) {
             try {
                 if (Platform::isWindows()) {
                     // Implement symlinks as NTFS junctions on Windows
-                    $this->io->writeError(sprintf('Junctioning from %s', $url), false);
+                    if ($output) {
+                        $this->io->writeError(sprintf('Junctioning from %s', $url), false);
+                    }
                     $this->filesystem->junction($realUrl, $path);
                 } else {
                     $absolutePath = $path;
@@ -133,7 +114,9 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
                     }
                     $shortestPath = $this->filesystem->findShortestPath($absolutePath, $realUrl);
                     $path = rtrim($path, "/");
-                    $this->io->writeError(sprintf('Symlinking from %s', $url), false);
+                    if ($output) {
+                        $this->io->writeError(sprintf('Symlinking from %s', $url), false);
+                    }
                     if ($transportOptions['relative']) {
                         $symfonyFilesystem->symlink($shortestPath, $path);
                     } else {
@@ -142,8 +125,10 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
                 }
             } catch (IOException $e) {
                 if (in_array(self::STRATEGY_MIRROR, $allowedStrategies)) {
-                    $this->io->writeError('');
-                    $this->io->writeError('    <error>Symlink failed, fallback to use mirroring!</error>');
+                    if ($output) {
+                        $this->io->writeError('');
+                        $this->io->writeError('    <error>Symlink failed, fallback to use mirroring!</error>');
+                    }
                     $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
                     $isFallback = true;
                 } else {
@@ -153,10 +138,12 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
         }
 
         // Fallback if symlink failed or if symlink is not allowed for the package
-        if (self::STRATEGY_MIRROR == $currentStrategy) {
+        if (self::STRATEGY_MIRROR === $currentStrategy) {
             $realUrl = $this->filesystem->normalizePath($realUrl);
 
-            $this->io->writeError(sprintf('%sMirroring from %s', $isFallback ? '    ' : '', $url), false);
+            if ($output) {
+                $this->io->writeError(sprintf('%sMirroring from %s', $isFallback ? '    ' : '', $url), false);
+            }
             $iterator = new ArchivableFilesFinder($realUrl, array());
             $symfonyFilesystem->mirror($realUrl, $path, $iterator);
         }
@@ -225,7 +212,46 @@ class PathDownloader extends FileDownloader implements VcsCapableDownloaderInter
             return ': Source already present';
         }
 
-        return '';
+        list($currentStrategy) = $this->computeAllowedStrategies($package->getTransportOptions());
+
+        if ($currentStrategy === self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK) {
+            if (Platform::isWindows()) {
+                return ': Junctioning from '.$package->getDistUrl();
+            }
+            return ': Symlinking from '.$package->getDistUrl();
+        }
+
+        return ': Mirroring from '.$package->getDistUrl();
+    }
+
+    private function computeAllowedStrategies(array $transportOptions)
+    {
+        // When symlink transport option is null, both symlink and mirror are allowed
+        $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK;
+        $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK, self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
+
+        $mirrorPathRepos = getenv('COMPOSER_MIRROR_PATH_REPOS');
+        if ($mirrorPathRepos) {
+            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
+        }
+
+        $symlinkOption = isset($transportOptions['symlink']) ? $transportOptions['symlink'] : null;
+
+        if (true === $symlinkOption) {
+            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK;
+            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK);
+        } elseif (false === $symlinkOption) {
+            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
+            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
+        }
+
+        // Check we can use junctions safely if we are on Windows
+        if (Platform::isWindows() && self::STRATEGY_SYMLINK === $currentStrategy && !$this->safeJunctions()) {
+            $currentStrategy = self::STRATEGY_MIRROR;
+            $allowedStrategies = array(self::STRATEGY_MIRROR);
+        }
+
+        return array($currentStrategy, $allowedStrategies);
     }
 
     /**