diff --git a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
index e616adb71..ccbf9b591 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ void DerivationGoal::tryToBuild()
     if (!outputLocks.lockPaths(lockFiles, "", false)) {
         if (!actLock)
             actLock = std::make_unique<Activity>(*logger, lvlWarn, actBuildWaiting,
-                fmt("waiting for lock on %s", yellowtxt(showPaths(lockFiles))));
+                fmt("waiting for lock on %s", magentatxt(showPaths(lockFiles))));
         worker.waitForAWhile(shared_from_this());
         return;
     }
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ void DerivationGoal::tryToBuild()
                    the wake-up timeout expires. */
                 if (!actLock)
                     actLock = std::make_unique<Activity>(*logger, lvlWarn, actBuildWaiting,
-                        fmt("waiting for a machine to build '%s'", yellowtxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath))));
+                        fmt("waiting for a machine to build '%s'", magentatxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath))));
                 worker.waitForAWhile(shared_from_this());
                 outputLocks.unlock();
                 return;
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ void DerivationGoal::buildDone()
             diskFull |= cleanupDecideWhetherDiskFull();
 
             auto msg = fmt("builder for '%s' %s",
-                yellowtxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath)),
+                magentatxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath)),
                 statusToString(status));
 
             if (!logger->isVerbose() && !logTail.empty()) {
diff --git a/src/libstore/build/local-derivation-goal.cc b/src/libstore/build/local-derivation-goal.cc
index 4b090e820..1fc966951 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/local-derivation-goal.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build/local-derivation-goal.cc
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ void LocalDerivationGoal::tryLocalBuild()
         if (!buildUser) {
             if (!actLock)
                 actLock = std::make_unique<Activity>(*logger, lvlWarn, actBuildWaiting,
-                    fmt("waiting for a free build user ID for '%s'", yellowtxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath))));
+                    fmt("waiting for a free build user ID for '%s'", magentatxt(worker.store.printStorePath(drvPath))));
             worker.waitForAWhile(shared_from_this());
             return;
         }
diff --git a/src/libutil/fmt.hh b/src/libutil/fmt.hh
index 727255b45..f552a6b77 100644
--- a/src/libutil/fmt.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/fmt.hh
@@ -58,19 +58,17 @@ inline std::string fmt(const std::string & fs, const Args & ... args)
     return f.str();
 }
 
-// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // format function for hints in errors.  same as fmt, except templated values
-// are always in yellow.
-
+// are always in magenta.
 template <class T>
-struct yellowtxt
+struct magentatxt
 {
-    yellowtxt(const T &s) : value(s) {}
+    magentatxt(const T &s) : value(s) {}
     const T & value;
 };
 
 template <class T>
-std::ostream & operator<<(std::ostream & out, const yellowtxt<T> & y)
+std::ostream & operator<<(std::ostream & out, const magentatxt<T> & y)
 {
     return out << ANSI_WARNING << y.value << ANSI_NORMAL;
 }
@@ -109,7 +107,7 @@ public:
     template<class T>
     hintformat & operator%(const T & value)
     {
-        fmt % yellowtxt(value);
+        fmt % magentatxt(value);
         return *this;
     }