diff --git a/src/perl/ui/Formats.xs b/src/perl/ui/Formats.xs
index 53c45d1b..7ff31aac 100644
--- a/src/perl/ui/Formats.xs
+++ b/src/perl/ui/Formats.xs
@@ -133,4 +133,4 @@ print(dest, str)
 	Irssi::UI::TextDest dest
 	char *str
 CODE:
-	printtext_dest(dest, str);
+	printtext_dest(dest, "%s", str);