diff --git a/grovel/grovel.lisp b/grovel/grovel.lisp
index e582fe9a113712805a802a522b2af2248f56fec2..4c2da1ac2cfae68c3e45f03aabafe2686dea1e72 100644
--- a/grovel/grovel.lisp
+++ b/grovel/grovel.lisp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ int main(int argc, char**argv) {
 
 (defun c-format (out fmt &rest args)
   (let ((text (unescape-for-c (format nil "~?" fmt args))))
-    (format out "~&  fprintf(output, \"~A\");~%" text)))
+    (format out "~&  fputs(\"~A\", output);~%" text)))
 
 (defun c-printf (out fmt &rest args)
   (flet ((item (item)