diff --git a/init/init.c b/init/init.c
index b17ebc2ce..d072a2209 100644
--- a/init/init.c
+++ b/init/init.c
@@ -683,12 +683,12 @@ static void shutdown_system(void)
 	sync();
 
 	/* Send signals to every process _except_ pid 1 */
-	message(CONSOLE | LOG, "Sending SIGTERM to all processes.");
+	message(CONSOLE | LOG, init_sending_format, "TERM");
 	kill(-1, SIGTERM);
 	sleep(1);
 	sync();
 
-	message(CONSOLE | LOG, "Sending SIGKILL to all processes.");
+	message(CONSOLE | LOG, init_sending_format, "KILL");
 	kill(-1, SIGKILL);
 	sleep(1);
 
diff --git a/init/init_shared.c b/init/init_shared.c
index 6404da55a..190d0a33e 100644
--- a/init/init_shared.c
+++ b/init/init_shared.c
@@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ int bb_shutdown_system(unsigned long magic)
 	sync();
 
 	/* Send signals to every process _except_ pid 1 */
-	message = "Sending SIGTERM to all processes.";
-	syslog(pri, "%s", message);
+	message = "TERM";
+	syslog(pri, init_sending_format, message);
 	printf(bb_shutdown_format, message);
 
 	kill(-1, SIGTERM);
 	sleep(1);
 	sync();
 
-	message = "Sending SIGKILL to all processes.";
-	syslog(pri, "%s", message);
+	message = "KILL";
+	syslog(pri, init_sending_format, message);
 	printf(bb_shutdown_format, message);
 
 	kill(-1, SIGKILL);
diff --git a/init/init_shared.h b/init/init_shared.h
index 1e4cfac98..4431a0324 100644
--- a/init/init_shared.h
+++ b/init/init_shared.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 extern int kill_init(int sig);
 extern int bb_shutdown_system(unsigned long magic);
+const char * const init_sending_format = "Sending SIG%s to all processes.";