diff --git a/modules/system/checks.nix b/modules/system/checks.nix
index 91622e517..57ddfd277 100644
--- a/modules/system/checks.nix
+++ b/modules/system/checks.nix
@@ -312,8 +312,8 @@ let
   # some mac devices, notably notebook do not support restartAfterPowerFailure option
   restartAfterPowerFailureIsSupported = ''
     if sudo /usr/sbin/systemsetup -getRestartPowerFailure | grep -q "Not supported"; then
-       printf >&2 "�[1;31merror: restarting after power failure is not supported on your machine�[0m\n" >&2
-       printf >&2 "Please ensure that `power.restartAfterPowerFailure` is not set.\n" >&2
+       printf >&2 "\e[1;31merror: restarting after power failure is not supported on your machine\e[0m\n" >&2
+       printf >&2 "Please ensure that \`power.restartAfterPowerFailure\` is not set.\n" >&2
        exit 2
     fi
   '';