diff --git a/lib/makepath.c b/lib/makepath.c
index 8ac46fe46..7631c4832 100644
--- a/lib/makepath.c
+++ b/lib/makepath.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ make_path (argpath, mode, parent_mode, owner, group, preserve_existing,
 	    }
 
 	  if (newly_created_dir && verbose_fmt_string != NULL)
-	    error (0, 0, verbose_fmt_string, dirpath);
+	    fprintf (stderr, verbose_fmt_string, dirpath);
 
 	  if (owner != (uid_t) -1 && group != (gid_t) -1
 	      && chown (basename_dir, owner, group)