diff --git a/src/scontrol/update_node.c b/src/scontrol/update_node.c
index e86107070179fe99b9194f312e85b85177f8638a..c57689a886c85379cb10e36a6c56e80b7fad4621 100644
--- a/src/scontrol/update_node.c
+++ b/src/scontrol/update_node.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ scontrol_update_node (int argc, char *argv[])
 						 "NoResp DRAIN FAIL RESUME "
 						 "POWER_DOWN POWER_UP UNDRAIN");
 					for (k = 0; k < NODE_STATE_END; k++) {
-						fprintf (stderr, "%s ",
+						fprintf (stderr, " %s",
 						         node_state_string(k));
 					}
 					fprintf (stderr, "\n");