diff --git a/src/input.cpp b/src/input.cpp
index d374bfc881..549789b870 100644
--- a/src/input.cpp
+++ b/src/input.cpp
@@ -358,15 +358,11 @@ void Input::substitute(char *str, int flag)
 
       *ptr = '\0';
       strcpy(work,str);
-      if (strlen(work)+strlen(value) >= MAXLINE) {
-	sprintf(str,"Input line too long after variable substitution: %s %s",work,value);
-	error->one(str);
-      }
+      if (strlen(work)+strlen(value) >= MAXLINE)
+	error->one("Input line too long after variable substitution");
       strcat(work,value);
-      if (strlen(work)+strlen(beyond) >= MAXLINE) {
-	sprintf(str,"Input line too long after variable substitution: %s %s",work,beyond);
-	error->one(str);
-      }
+      if (strlen(work)+strlen(beyond) >= MAXLINE)
+	error->one("Input line too long after variable substitution");
       strcat(work,beyond);
       strcpy(str,work);
       ptr += strlen(value);