diff --git a/ssh.c b/ssh.c
index 3ac5534f..7e9ccd2b 100644
--- a/ssh.c
+++ b/ssh.c
@@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ static void ssh_closing(Plug *plug, const char *error_msg, int error_code,
 {
     Ssh *ssh = container_of(plug, Ssh, plug);
     if (error_msg) {
-        ssh_remote_error(ssh, "Network error: %s", error_msg);
+        ssh_remote_error(ssh, "%s", error_msg);
     } else if (ssh->bpp) {
         ssh->bpp->input_eof = true;
         queue_idempotent_callback(&ssh->bpp->ic_in_raw);
diff --git a/sshserver.c b/sshserver.c
index f1f6bc08..7ed2052c 100644
--- a/sshserver.c
+++ b/sshserver.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static void server_closing(Plug *plug, const char *error_msg, int error_code,
 {
     server *srv = container_of(plug, server, plug);
     if (error_msg) {
-        ssh_remote_error(&srv->ssh, "Network error: %s", error_msg);
+        ssh_remote_error(&srv->ssh, "%s", error_msg);
     } else if (srv->bpp) {
         srv->bpp->input_eof = true;
         queue_idempotent_callback(&srv->bpp->ic_in_raw);