diff --git a/builtin/notes.c b/builtin/notes.c
index 60410af572..be51f69225 100644
--- a/builtin/notes.c
+++ b/builtin/notes.c
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			     PARSE_OPT_SUBCOMMAND_OPTIONAL);
 	if (!fn) {
 		if (argc) {
-			error(_("unknown subcommand: %s"), argv[0]);
+			error(_("unknown subcommand: `%s'"), argv[0]);
 			usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
 		}
 		fn = list;
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 9aff864fd6..596a71af13 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -1769,7 +1769,7 @@ int cmd_remote(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		return !!fn(argc, argv, prefix);
 	} else {
 		if (argc) {
-			error(_("unknown subcommand: %s"), argv[0]);
+			error(_("unknown subcommand: `%s'"), argv[0]);
 			usage_with_options(builtin_remote_usage, options);
 		}
 		return !!show_all();