diff --git a/builtin-rm.c b/builtin-rm.c
index c11f455858..269d60890a 100644
--- a/builtin-rm.c
+++ b/builtin-rm.c
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ static int check_local_mod(unsigned char *head, int index_only)
 
 		if (lstat(ce->name, &st) < 0) {
 			if (errno != ENOENT)
-				fprintf(stderr, "warning: '%s': %s",
-					ce->name, strerror(errno));
+				warning("'%s': %s", ce->name, strerror(errno));
 			/* It already vanished from the working tree */
 			continue;
 		}