diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index 084bfc584f..823e8e81b0 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -1176,8 +1176,6 @@ static void wt_longstatus_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 	struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
 	const char *cp, *ep, *branch_name;
 	struct branch *branch;
-	char comment_line_string[3];
-	int i;
 	uint64_t t_begin = 0;
 
 	assert(s->branch && !s->is_initial);
@@ -1202,16 +1200,11 @@ static void wt_longstatus_print_tracking(struct wt_status *s)
 		}
 	}
 
-	i = 0;
-	if (s->display_comment_prefix) {
-		comment_line_string[i++] = comment_line_char;
-		comment_line_string[i++] = ' ';
-	}
-	comment_line_string[i] = '\0';
-
 	for (cp = sb.buf; (ep = strchr(cp, '\n')) != NULL; cp = ep + 1)
 		color_fprintf_ln(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s),
-				 "%s%.*s", comment_line_string,
+				 "%s%s%.*s",
+				 s->display_comment_prefix ? comment_line_str : "",
+				 s->display_comment_prefix ? " " : "",
 				 (int)(ep - cp), cp);
 	if (s->display_comment_prefix)
 		color_fprintf_ln(s->fp, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "%s",