diff --git a/src/event/InotifyEvent.cxx b/src/event/InotifyEvent.cxx
index 80db3577b..e8f92533d 100644
--- a/src/event/InotifyEvent.cxx
+++ b/src/event/InotifyEvent.cxx
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ InotifyEvent::AddWatch(const char *pathname, uint32_t mask)
 {
 	int wd = TryAddWatch(pathname, mask);
 	if (wd < 0)
-		throw FmtErrno("inotify_add_watch('{}') failed", pathname);
+		throw FmtErrno("inotify_add_watch({:?}) failed", pathname);
 
 	return wd;
 }
diff --git a/src/io/Open.cxx b/src/io/Open.cxx
index 843ad101d..8514e95cb 100644
--- a/src/io/Open.cxx
+++ b/src/io/Open.cxx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ OpenReadOnly(const char *path, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(path, O_RDONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", path);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", path);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ OpenWriteOnly(const char *path, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(path, O_WRONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", path);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", path);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ OpenDirectory(const char *path, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(path, O_DIRECTORY|O_RDONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", path);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", path);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ OpenPath(const char *path, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(path, O_PATH|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", path);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", path);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ OpenPath(FileDescriptor directory, const char *name, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(directory, name, O_PATH|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", name);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", name);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ OpenReadOnly(FileDescriptor directory, const char *name, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(directory, name, O_RDONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", name);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", name);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ OpenWriteOnly(FileDescriptor directory, const char *name, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(directory, name, O_WRONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", name);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", name);
 
 	return fd;
 }
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ OpenDirectory(FileDescriptor directory, const char *name, int flags)
 {
 	UniqueFileDescriptor fd;
 	if (!fd.Open(directory, name, O_DIRECTORY|O_RDONLY|flags))
-		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open '{}'", name);
+		throw FmtErrno("Failed to open {:?}", name);
 
 	return fd;
 }
diff --git a/src/net/Resolver.cxx b/src/net/Resolver.cxx
index b01b87b6e..1d9d9a6bf 100644
--- a/src/net/Resolver.cxx
+++ b/src/net/Resolver.cxx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ Resolve(const char *node, const char *service,
 #else
 		const char *msg = gai_strerror(error);
 #endif
-		throw FmtRuntimeError("Failed to resolve '{}':'{}': {}",
+		throw FmtRuntimeError("Failed to resolve {:?}:{:?}: {}",
 				      node == nullptr ? "" : node,
 				      service == nullptr ? "" : service,
 				      msg);