diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/display.py b/lib/ansible/utils/display.py
index c1f5d20ad7..93df39bb1d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/display.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/display.py
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ class Display:
             wrapped = textwrap.wrap(new_msg, self.columns)
             new_msg = u"\n".join(wrapped) + u"\n"
         else:
-            new_msg = u"ERROR! " + msg
+            new_msg = u"ERROR! %s" % msg
         if new_msg not in self._errors:
             self.display(new_msg, color=C.COLOR_ERROR, stderr=True)
             self._errors[new_msg] = 1