diff --git a/gio/gio-tool-rename.c b/gio/gio-tool-rename.c
index 9c3655444..820208f58 100644
--- a/gio/gio-tool-rename.c
+++ b/gio/gio-tool-rename.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ handle_rename (int argc, char *argv[], gboolean do_help)
 
   if (new_file == NULL)
     {
-      print_error (error->message);
+      print_error ("%s", error->message);
       g_error_free (error);
       retval = 1;
     }
diff --git a/gio/gio-tool-save.c b/gio/gio-tool-save.c
index dc222422d..3e4497b57 100644
--- a/gio/gio-tool-save.c
+++ b/gio/gio-tool-save.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ save (GFile *file)
 	      if (written == -1)
 		{
 		  save_res = FALSE;
-                  print_error (error->message);
+                  print_error ("%s", error->message);
 		  g_error_free (error);
 		  goto out;
 		}
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ save (GFile *file)
       else if (res < 0)
 	{
 	  save_res = FALSE;
-          print_error (_("Error reading from standard input"));
+          print_error ("%s", _("Error reading from standard input"));
 	  break;
 	}
       else if (res == 0)
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ save (GFile *file)
   if (!close_res)
     {
       save_res = FALSE;
-      print_error (error->message);
+      print_error ("%s", error->message);
       g_error_free (error);
     }
 
diff --git a/gio/gio-tool-set.c b/gio/gio-tool-set.c
index ada62c2b1..411c132ad 100644
--- a/gio/gio-tool-set.c
+++ b/gio/gio-tool-set.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ handle_set (int argc, char *argv[], gboolean do_help)
                                G_FILE_QUERY_INFO_NONE,
                              NULL, &error))
     {
-      print_error (error->message);
+      print_error ("%s", error->message);
       g_error_free (error);
       g_object_unref (file);
       return 1;
diff --git a/gio/gio-tool.c b/gio/gio-tool.c
index 61ca87a41..3b79d21b2 100644
--- a/gio/gio-tool.c
+++ b/gio/gio-tool.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 
 
 void
-print_error (const char *format, ...)
+print_error (const gchar *format, ...)
 {
   gchar *message;
   va_list args;
@@ -45,21 +45,13 @@ print_error (const char *format, ...)
 }
 
 void
-print_file_error (GFile *file, const gchar *format, ...)
+print_file_error (GFile *file, const gchar *message)
 {
   gchar *uri;
-  gchar *message;
-  va_list args;
-
-  va_start (args, format);
-  message = g_strdup_vprintf (format, args);
-  va_end (args);
 
   uri = g_file_get_uri (file);
   print_error ("%s: %s", uri, message);
   g_free (uri);
-
-  g_free (message);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gio/gio-tool.h b/gio/gio-tool.h
index 154f30231..58cc0f4c5 100644
--- a/gio/gio-tool.h
+++ b/gio/gio-tool.h
@@ -21,10 +21,9 @@
 #define __GIO_TOOL_H__
 
 void print_error      (const gchar    *format,
-                       ...);
+                       ...) G_GNUC_PRINTF (1, 2);
 void print_file_error (GFile          *file,
-                       const gchar    *format,
-                       ...);
+                       const gchar    *message);
 void show_help        (GOptionContext *context,
                        const char     *message);