diff --git a/git-am.sh b/git-am.sh
index 660b3a4b61..6ed527c7a9 100755
--- a/git-am.sh
+++ b/git-am.sh
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ do
 		echo "--------------------------"
 		cat "$dotest/final-commit"
 		echo "--------------------------"
-		echo -n "Apply? [y]es/[n]o/[e]dit/[v]iew patch/[a]ccept all "
+		printf "Apply? [y]es/[n]o/[e]dit/[v]iew patch/[a]ccept all "
 		read reply
 		case "$reply" in
 		[yY]*) action=yes ;;
diff --git a/git-applypatch.sh b/git-applypatch.sh
index 4c577eb835..a112e1a504 100755
--- a/git-applypatch.sh
+++ b/git-applypatch.sh
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ while [ "$interactive" = yes ]; do
 	echo "--------------------------"
 	cat "$final"
 	echo "--------------------------"
-	echo -n "Apply? [y]es/[n]o/[e]dit/[a]ccept all "
+	printf "Apply? [y]es/[n]o/[e]dit/[a]ccept all "
 	read reply
 	case "$reply" in
 		y|Y) interactive=no;;
diff --git a/git-bisect.sh b/git-bisect.sh
index 68838f3fad..05dae8ad13 100755
--- a/git-bisect.sh
+++ b/git-bisect.sh
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ bisect_start() {
 	rm -rf "$GIT_DIR/refs/bisect/"
 	mkdir "$GIT_DIR/refs/bisect"
 	{
-	    echo -n "git-bisect start"
+	    printf "git-bisect start"
 	    sq "$@"
 	} >"$GIT_DIR/BISECT_LOG"
 	sq "$@" >"$GIT_DIR/BISECT_NAMES"
diff --git a/git-status.sh b/git-status.sh
index b90ffc198d..2dda0c505c 100755
--- a/git-status.sh
+++ b/git-status.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ report () {
   trailer=""
   while read status name newname
   do
-    echo -n "$header"
+    printf '%s' "$header"
     header=""
     trailer="#
 "
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ report () {
     U ) echo "#	unmerged: $name";;
     esac
   done
-  echo -n "$trailer"
+  printf '%s' "$trailer"
   [ "$header" ]
 }