diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 6ffa1cb..3359bc2 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -3324,7 +3324,7 @@
     {
 	usefmt = eval_to_string_safe(fmt + 2, NULL, use_sandbox);
 	if (usefmt == NULL)
-	    usefmt = (char_u *)"";
+	    usefmt = fmt;
     }
 #endif