diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index c3954501a1..c36d1ac633 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -107,10 +107,14 @@ print_color() {
 # print build progress messages
 # param1: message color, p2: label, p3: text, p4: indent (optional)
 build_msg() {
+  local spaces
+
+  [ -n "${BUILD_INDENT}" ] && spaces="$(printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c" " ")" || spaces=""
+
   if [ -n "${3}" ]; then
-    printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c$(print_color "${1}" "${2}")      ${3}\n" ' '>&${SILENT_OUT}
+    echo -e "${spaces}$(print_color "${1}" "${2}")      ${3}" >&${SILENT_OUT}
   else
-    printf "%${BUILD_INDENT}c$(print_color "${1}" "${2}")\n" ' '>&${SILENT_OUT}
+    echo -e "${spaces}$(print_color "${1}" "${2}")" >&${SILENT_OUT}
   fi
 
   # pad left space to create "indent" effect