diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
index 6f9473bc55d..e6b062f316d 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
@@ -201,8 +201,7 @@ GetConnection(void)
 
 	if (PQstatus(tmpconn) != CONNECTION_OK)
 	{
-		pg_log_error("could not connect to server: %s",
-					 PQerrorMessage(tmpconn));
+		pg_log_error("%s", PQerrorMessage(tmpconn));
 		PQfinish(tmpconn);
 		free(values);
 		free(keywords);
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c b/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c
index 0dae75b8628..97b1017a499 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ libpqConnect(const char *connstr)
 
 	conn = PQconnectdb(connstr);
 	if (PQstatus(conn) == CONNECTION_BAD)
-		pg_fatal("could not connect to server: %s",
-				 PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		pg_fatal("%s", PQerrorMessage(conn));
 
 	if (showprogress)
 		pg_log_info("connected to server");
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index e4c0a7eacbf..67653ae75f8 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	if (PQstatus(pset.db) == CONNECTION_BAD)
 	{
-		pg_log_error("could not connect to server: %s", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+		pg_log_error("%s", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
 		PQfinish(pset.db);
 		exit(EXIT_BADCONN);
 	}