diff --git a/busybox.h b/busybox.h
index 692a9084e..8d4976a4b 100644
--- a/busybox.h
+++ b/busybox.h
@@ -89,10 +89,10 @@ extern const struct BB_applet applets[];
 extern const char *applet_name;
 
 extern void show_usage(void) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
-extern void error_msg(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void error_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn, format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void perror_msg(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void perror_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn, format (printf, 1, 2)));
+extern void error_msg(const char *s, ...);
+extern void error_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
+extern void perror_msg(const char *s, ...);
+extern void perror_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
 
 const char *mode_string(int mode);
 const char *time_string(time_t timeVal);
diff --git a/include/busybox.h b/include/busybox.h
index 692a9084e..8d4976a4b 100644
--- a/include/busybox.h
+++ b/include/busybox.h
@@ -89,10 +89,10 @@ extern const struct BB_applet applets[];
 extern const char *applet_name;
 
 extern void show_usage(void) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
-extern void error_msg(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void error_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn, format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void perror_msg(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
-extern void perror_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn, format (printf, 1, 2)));
+extern void error_msg(const char *s, ...);
+extern void error_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
+extern void perror_msg(const char *s, ...);
+extern void perror_msg_and_die(const char *s, ...) __attribute__ ((noreturn));
 
 const char *mode_string(int mode);
 const char *time_string(time_t timeVal);