diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
index a240aae9f2f..882ba4b50a5 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
@@ -190,8 +190,7 @@ GetConnection(void)
 
 	if (PQstatus(tmpconn) != CONNECTION_OK)
 	{
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not connect to server: %s"),
-				progname, PQerrorMessage(tmpconn));
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: %s"), progname, 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 2c0c5723f79..583752ab200 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_rewind/libpq_fetch.c
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ 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));
 
 	pg_log(PG_PROGRESS, "connected to server\n");