diff --git a/usr.bin/printf/printf.c b/usr.bin/printf/printf.c
index 024c3f0df0be..8482bb391b87 100644
--- a/usr.bin/printf/printf.c
+++ b/usr.bin/printf/printf.c
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 /*-
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  *
- * Copyright 2018 Staysail Systems, Inc. <info@staysail.tech>
  * Copyright 2014 Garrett D'Amore <garrett@damore.org>
  * Copyright 2010 Nexenta Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 1989, 1993
@@ -376,19 +375,16 @@ printf_doformat(char *fmt, int *rval)
 		char *p;
 		int getout;
 
-		/* Convert "b" to "s" for output. */
-		start[strlen(start) - 1] = 's';
-		if ((p = strdup(getstr())) == NULL) {
+		p = strdup(getstr());
+		if (p == NULL) {
 			warnx("%s", strerror(ENOMEM));
 			return (NULL);
 		}
 		getout = escape(p, 0, &len);
-		PF(start, p);
-		/* Restore format for next loop. */
-
+		fputs(p, stdout);
 		free(p);
 		if (getout)
-			exit(*rval);
+			return (end_fmt);
 		break;
 	}
 	case 'c': {