diff --git a/examples/plugins/kspace_zero2.cpp b/examples/plugins/kspace_zero2.cpp
index 742f0871f5..6c2a63339c 100644
--- a/examples/plugins/kspace_zero2.cpp
+++ b/examples/plugins/kspace_zero2.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void KSpaceZero2::init()
       g_ewald = sqrt(-log(g_ewald)) / cutoff;
   }
 
-  if (comm->me == 0) std::string mesg = fmt::format("  G vector (1/distance) = {:.8g}\n", g_ewald);
+  if (comm->me == 0) utils::logmesg(lmp, "  G vector (1/distance) = {:.8g}\n", g_ewald);
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
diff --git a/src/kspace_zero.cpp b/src/kspace_zero.cpp
index 6f3e891558..0443898d8d 100644
--- a/src/kspace_zero.cpp
+++ b/src/kspace_zero.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void KSpaceZero::init()
       g_ewald = sqrt(-log(g_ewald)) / cutoff;
   }
 
-  if (comm->me == 0) std::string mesg = fmt::format("  G vector (1/distance) = {:.8g}\n", g_ewald);
+  if (comm->me == 0) utils::logmesg(lmp, "  G vector (1/distance) = {:.8g}\n", g_ewald);
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */