diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index dbf9c8cee3c56..b9c18f3316997 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -3415,7 +3415,7 @@ int evsel__open_strerror(struct evsel *evsel, struct target *target,
 
 	return scnprintf(msg, size,
 	"The sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned with %d (%s) for event (%s).\n"
-	"/bin/dmesg | grep -i perf may provide additional information.\n",
+	"\"dmesg | grep -i perf\" may provide additional information.\n",
 			 err, str_error_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)), evsel__name(evsel));
 }