diff --git a/contrib/ps1_functions b/contrib/ps1_functions
index 514db0c55e..363272880e 100644
--- a/contrib/ps1_functions
+++ b/contrib/ps1_functions
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 ps1_identity()
 {
   if [[ $UID -eq 0 ]]  ; then
-    printf "\[\033[31m\]\\u\[\033[0m\]@\[\033[36m\]\\h\[\033[35m\]:\w\[\033[0m\] "
+    printf "%s" "\[\033[31m\]\\u\[\033[0m\]@\[\033[36m\]\\h\[\033[35m\]:\w\[\033[0m\] "
   else
-    printf "\[\033[32m\]\\u\[\033[0m\]@\[\033[36m\]\\h\[\033[35m\]:\w\[\033[0m\] "
+    printf "%s" "\[\033[32m\]\\u\[\033[0m\]@\[\033[36m\]\\h\[\033[35m\]:\w\[\033[0m\] "
   fi
 }