diff --git a/t/test-lib.sh b/t/test-lib.sh
index 514282cbdf..489bc80fc1 100644
--- a/t/test-lib.sh
+++ b/t/test-lib.sh
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ else
 	say_color() {
 		test -z "$1" && test -n "$quiet" && return
 		shift
-		echo "$*"
+		printf "%s\n" "$*"
 	}
 fi