diff --git a/lisp/dired-x.el b/lisp/dired-x.el
index 4a05f609b2b..89390a482f0 100644
--- a/lisp/dired-x.el
+++ b/lisp/dired-x.el
@@ -498,8 +498,10 @@ status message."
                                nil
                                (if dired-omit-verbose
                                    (format "Omitted %%d line%%s in %s"
-                                           (abbreviate-file-name
-                                            dired-directory))
+                                           (replace-regexp-in-string
+                                            "%" "%%"
+                                            (abbreviate-file-name
+                                             dired-directory)))
                                  "")
                                init-count)))
               (force-mode-line-update))))