diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
index be653ebb2d9..da577a7f8f4 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
@@ -200,8 +200,7 @@ 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/pg_rewind.c b/src/bin/pg_rewind/pg_rewind.c
index 421a45ef5b1..52e3fc40e85 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_rewind/pg_rewind.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_rewind/pg_rewind.c
@@ -282,8 +282,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		conn = PQconnectdb(connstr_source);
 
 		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 e8d35a108f3..586fcb33661 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ 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);
 	}