diff --git a/src/tmpfiles/tmpfiles.c b/src/tmpfiles/tmpfiles.c
index 86bf16356d..bff05cda6f 100644
--- a/src/tmpfiles/tmpfiles.c
+++ b/src/tmpfiles/tmpfiles.c
@@ -3684,7 +3684,7 @@ static int parse_line(
                 else {
                         *invalid_config = true;
                         return log_syntax(NULL, LOG_ERR, fname, line, SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EBADMSG),
-                                          "Unknown modifiers in command '%s'.", action);
+                                          "Unknown modifiers in command: %s", action);
                 }
 
         if (boot && !arg_boot) {