diff --git a/autogen.sh b/autogen.sh
index 406109a3c3..77a69e7aae 100755
--- a/autogen.sh
+++ b/autogen.sh
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ CONFIGURE_DEF_OPT='--enable-maintainer-mode --enable-gtk-doc --enable-plugin-doc
 
 autogen_options $@
 
-echo -n "+ check for build tools"
+printf "+ check for build tools"
 if test ! -z "$NOCHECK"; then echo " skipped"; else  echo; fi
 version_check "autoconf" "$AUTOCONF autoconf autoconf-2.54 autoconf-2.53 autoconf-2.52" \
               "ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/autoconf/" 2 52 || DIE=1