diff --git a/src/build-remote/build-remote.cc b/src/build-remote/build-remote.cc
index 04aade9db..e2ada70cd 100644
--- a/src/build-remote/build-remote.cc
+++ b/src/build-remote/build-remote.cc
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static int main_build_remote(int argc, char * * argv)
                         else
                             drvstr = "<unknown>";
 
-                        auto error = HintFmt(errorText);
+                        auto error = HintFmt::fromFormatString(errorText);
                         error
                             % drvstr
                             % neededSystem
diff --git a/src/libutil/fmt.hh b/src/libutil/fmt.hh
index 75354a07c..84a3e3e11 100644
--- a/src/libutil/fmt.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/fmt.hh
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ public:
         : HintFmt("%s", Uncolored(literal))
     { }
 
+    static HintFmt fromFormatString(const std::string & format) {
+        return HintFmt(boost::format(format));
+    }
+
     /**
      * Interpolate the given arguments into the format string.
      */