diff --git a/src/scripts/xzdiff.in b/src/scripts/xzdiff.in
index 78d75c09..234d6c70 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzdiff.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzdiff.in
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ escape='
 while :; do
   case $1 in
     --h*) printf '%s\n' "$usage" || exit 2; exit;;
-    --v*) echo "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
+    --v*) printf '%s\n' "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
     --) shift; break;;
     -*\'*) cmp="$cmp '"`printf '%sX\n' "$1" | sed "$escape"`;;
     -?*) cmp="$cmp '$1'";;
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ if test $# -eq 1; then
     *[-.]zst | *.tzst)
       xz1='zstd -q';;
     *)
-      echo >&2 "$0: $1: Unknown compressed file name suffix"
+      printf '%s\n' "$0: $1: Unknown compressed file name suffix" >&2
       exit 2;;
   esac
   case $1 in
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ elif test $# -eq 2; then
     esac;;
   esac
 else
-  echo >&2 "$0: Invalid number of operands; try \`${0##*/} --help' for help"
+  printf '%s\n' "$0: Invalid number of operands; try \`${0##*/} --help' for help" >&2
   exit 2
 fi
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/xzgrep.in b/src/scripts/xzgrep.in
index c851c7ed..2cb9420c 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzgrep.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzgrep.in
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ while test $# -ne 0; do
   (-[ef]* | --file | --file=* | --reg*)
     have_pat=1;;
   (--h | --he | --hel | --help)
-    echo "$usage" || exit 2
+    printf '%s\n' "$usage" || exit 2
     exit;;
   (-H | --wi | --wit | --with | --with- | --with-f | --with-fi \
   | --with-fil | --with-file | --with-filen | --with-filena | --with-filenam \
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ while test $# -ne 0; do
   (-h | --no-f*)
     no_filename=1;;
   (-V | --v | --ve | --ver | --vers | --versi | --versio | --version)
-    echo "$version" || exit 2
+    printf '%s\n' "$version" || exit 2
     exit;;
   esac
 
diff --git a/src/scripts/xzless.in b/src/scripts/xzless.in
index 7215acec..0fc91763 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzless.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzless.in
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ Options are the same as for 'less'.
 Report bugs to <@PACKAGE_BUGREPORT@>."
 
 case $1 in
-	--help)    echo "$usage" || exit 2; exit;;
-	--version) echo "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
+	--help)    printf '%s\n' "$usage" || exit 2; exit;;
+	--version) printf '%s\n' "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
 esac
 
 if test "${LESSMETACHARS+set}" != set; then
diff --git a/src/scripts/xzmore.in b/src/scripts/xzmore.in
index ea832a30..6ba1344d 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzmore.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzmore.in
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ Like 'more', but operate on the uncompressed contents of xz compressed FILEs.
 Report bugs to <@PACKAGE_BUGREPORT@>."
 
 case $1 in
-	--help)    echo "$usage" || exit 2; exit;;
-	--version) echo "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
+	--help)    printf '%s\n' "$usage" || exit 2; exit;;
+	--version) printf '%s\n' "$version" || exit 2; exit;;
 esac
 
 oldtty=`stty -g 2>/dev/null`
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ fi
 
 if test $# = 0; then
 	if test -t 0; then
-		echo "$usage"; exit 1
+		printf '%s\n' "$usage"; exit 1
 	else
 		$xz -cdfq | eval "${PAGER:-more}"
 	fi
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ else
 			esac
 		fi
 		if test "$ANS" != 's'; then
-			echo "------> $FILE <------"
+			printf '%s\n' "------> $FILE <------"
 			$xz -cdfq -- "$FILE" | eval "${PAGER:-more}"
 		fi
 		if test -t 1; then