diff --git a/db/repl/rs_initialsync.cpp b/db/repl/rs_initialsync.cpp
index 22cd48d4ab9..541b01ee703 100644
--- a/db/repl/rs_initialsync.cpp
+++ b/db/repl/rs_initialsync.cpp
@@ -171,11 +171,11 @@ namespace mongo {
             return const_cast<Member*>(m);
         }
 
-        sethbmsg( str::stream() << "couldn't find a member matching the sync criteria: " <<
-                  "\nstate? " << (secondaryOnly ? "2" : "none") <<
-                  "\nname? " << (name ? name : "none") <<
-                  "\n_id? " << id <<
-                  "\noptime? " << optime.toStringPretty() );
+        sethbmsg( str::stream() << "couldn't find a member matching the sync criteria:" <<
+                  " state? " << (secondaryOnly ? "2" : "none") <<
+                  " name? " << (name ? name : "none") <<
+                  " _id? " << id <<
+                  " optime? " << optime.toStringPretty() );
 
         return NULL;
     }