diff --git a/pkg/idtools/idtools_unix_test.go b/pkg/idtools/idtools_unix_test.go
index c9a2f64f42..24225d6248 100644
--- a/pkg/idtools/idtools_unix_test.go
+++ b/pkg/idtools/idtools_unix_test.go
@@ -458,14 +458,14 @@ func TestLookupUserAndGroup(t *testing.T) {
 func TestLookupUserAndGroupThatDoesNotExist(t *testing.T) {
 	fakeUser := "fakeuser"
 	_, err := LookupUser(fakeUser)
-	assert.Check(t, is.Error(err, "getent unable to find entry \""+fakeUser+"\" in passwd database"))
+	assert.Check(t, is.Error(err, `getent unable to find entry "fakeuser" in passwd database`))
 
 	_, err = LookupUID(-1)
 	assert.Check(t, is.ErrorContains(err, ""))
 
 	fakeGroup := "fakegroup"
 	_, err = LookupGroup(fakeGroup)
-	assert.Check(t, is.Error(err, "getent unable to find entry \""+fakeGroup+"\" in group database"))
+	assert.Check(t, is.Error(err, `getent unable to find entry "fakegroup" in group database`))
 
 	_, err = LookupGID(-1)
 	assert.Check(t, is.ErrorContains(err, ""))