diff --git a/src/zm_utils.cpp b/src/zm_utils.cpp
index adc10cf8e..49b4d5ffc 100644
--- a/src/zm_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/zm_utils.cpp
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ void touch(const char *pathname) {
       0666);
   if ( fd < 0 ) {
     // Couldn't open that path.
-    Error("Couldn't open() path \"%s in touch", pathname);
+    Error("Couldn't open() path %s in touch", pathname);
     return;
   }
   int rc = utimensat(AT_FDCWD,