diff --git a/lib/defines.h b/lib/defines.h
index 55b42bee..4a2b90c9 100644
--- a/lib/defines.h
+++ b/lib/defines.h
@@ -320,8 +320,10 @@ extern char *strerror ();
 /* To be used for verified unused parameters */
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && !defined(__STRICT_ANSI__)
 # define unused __attribute__((unused))
+# define format_attr(type, index, check) __attribute__((format (type, index, check)))
 #else
 # define unused
+# define format_attr(type, index, check)
 #endif
 
 /* ! Arguments evaluated twice ! */
diff --git a/lib/selinux.c b/lib/selinux.c
index f97b1fe5..ad639bd3 100644
--- a/lib/selinux.c
+++ b/lib/selinux.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ int reset_selinux_file_context (void)
 /*
  *  Log callback for libselinux internal error reporting.
  */
-__attribute__((__format__ (printf, 2, 3)))
+format_attr(printf, 2, 3)
 static int selinux_log_cb (int type, const char *fmt, ...) {
 	va_list ap;
 	char *buf;
diff --git a/lib/semanage.c b/lib/semanage.c
index 12401608..54f99623 100644
--- a/lib/semanage.c
+++ b/lib/semanage.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #endif
 
 
+format_attr(printf, 3, 4)
 static void semanage_error_callback (unused void *varg,
                                      semanage_handle_t *handle,
                                      const char *fmt, ...)
diff --git a/libmisc/copydir.c b/libmisc/copydir.c
index a5f1b3da..2929151d 100644
--- a/libmisc/copydir.c
+++ b/libmisc/copydir.c
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ static int fchown_if_needed (int fdst, const struct stat *statp,
 /*
  * error_acl - format the error messages for the ACL and EQ libraries.
  */
-static void error_acl (struct error_context *ctx, const char *fmt, ...)
+format_attr(printf, 2, 3)
+static void error_acl (unused struct error_context *ctx, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
 	FILE *shadow_logfd = log_get_logfd();
diff --git a/src/chage.c b/src/chage.c
index ced3a3e8..8cf67794 100644
--- a/src/chage.c
+++ b/src/chage.c
@@ -223,20 +223,12 @@ static void print_date (time_t date)
 {
 	struct tm *tp;
 	char buf[80];
-	char format[80];
-
-	if (iflg) {
-		(void) snprintf (format, 80, "%%Y-%%m-%%d");
-	}
-	else {
-		(void) snprintf (format, 80, "%%b %%d, %%Y");
-	}
 
 	tp = gmtime (&date);
 	if (NULL == tp) {
 		(void) printf ("time_t: %lu\n", (unsigned long)date);
 	} else {
-		(void) strftime (buf, sizeof buf, format, tp);
+		(void) strftime (buf, sizeof buf, iflg ? "%%Y-%%m-%%d" : "%%b %%d, %%Y", tp);
 		(void) puts (buf);
 	}
 }