diff --git a/include/prereq.mk b/include/prereq.mk
index 83625e3bf2..9bc5e0dee2 100644
--- a/include/prereq.mk
+++ b/include/prereq.mk
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ define Require
     prereq: prereq-$(1)
 
     prereq-$(1): $(if $(PREREQ_PREV),prereq-$(PREREQ_PREV)) FORCE
-		echo -n "Checking '$(1)'... "
+		printf "Checking '$(1)'... "
 		if $(NO_TRACE_MAKE) -f $(firstword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)) check-$(1) >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then \
 			echo 'ok.'; \
 		else \
 			echo 'failed.'; \
-			echo -e "$(PKG_NAME): $(strip $(2))" >> $(TMP_DIR)/.prereq-error; \
+			echo "$(PKG_NAME): $(strip $(2))" >> $(TMP_DIR)/.prereq-error; \
 		fi
 
     check-$(1): FORCE