diff --git a/grep.c b/grep.c
index b58c7c643..6c68d5bd2 100644
--- a/grep.c
+++ b/grep.c
@@ -306,9 +306,9 @@ static NORETURN void compile_regexp_failed(const struct grep_pat *p,
 	char where[1024];
 
 	if (p->no)
-		sprintf(where, "In '%s' at %d, ", p->origin, p->no);
+		xsnprintf(where, sizeof(where), "In '%s' at %d, ", p->origin, p->no);
 	else if (p->origin)
-		sprintf(where, "%s, ", p->origin);
+		xsnprintf(where, sizeof(where), "%s, ", p->origin);
 	else
 		where[0] = 0;