diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
index a1f9d8cf8abc..b59b9f952f4e 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ cmdhelp(int mode, int which)
 			}
 		};
 
-		fprintf(stderr, help[which][mode]);
+		fprintf(stderr, "%s", help[which][mode]);
 	}
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
index aa437ec3cd9a..f541b26e1743 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ int boolean_val(char const * str, int dflt);
 char const *boolean_str(int val);
 char *newstr(char const * p);
 
-void pw_log(struct userconf * cnf, int mode, int which, char const * fmt,...);
+void pw_log(struct userconf * cnf, int mode, int which, char const * fmt,...) __printflike(4, 5);
 char *pw_pwcrypt(char *password);
 
 extern const char *Modes[];