diff --git a/lib-src/pop.c b/lib-src/pop.c
index 57a5e529daf..812bd4ca24c 100644
--- a/lib-src/pop.c
+++ b/lib-src/pop.c
@@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ socket_connection (char *host, int flags)
 	    {
 	      int errlen = err_ret->text.length;
 	      snprintf (pop_error + pop_error_len, ERROR_MAX - pop_error_len,
-			" [server says '.*%s']", errlen, err_ret->text.data);
+			" [server says '%.*s']", errlen, err_ret->text.data);
 	    }
 #elif defined HAVE_KRB5_ERROR_E_TEXT
 	  if (err_ret && err_ret->e_text && **err_ret->e_text)