diff --git a/src/Package/Fetch.zig b/src/Package/Fetch.zig
index 9a64bebd99..dbd5896196 100644
--- a/src/Package/Fetch.zig
+++ b/src/Package/Fetch.zig
@@ -567,18 +567,16 @@ fn runResource(
         if (declared_hash.isOld()) {
             const actual_hex = Package.multiHashHexDigest(f.computed_hash.digest);
             if (!std.mem.eql(u8, declared_hash.toSlice(), &actual_hex)) {
-                const declared = if (declared_hash.toSlice().len > 0) declared_hash.toSlice() else "<empty>";
                 return f.fail(hash_tok, try eb.printString(
-                    "hash mismatch: manifest declares {s} but the fetched package has {s}",
-                    .{ declared, actual_hex },
+                    "hash mismatch: manifest declares '{s}' but the fetched package has '{s}'",
+                    .{ declared_hash.toSlice(), actual_hex },
                 ));
             }
         } else {
             if (!computed_package_hash.eql(&declared_hash)) {
-                const declared = if (declared_hash.toSlice().len > 0) declared_hash.toSlice() else "<empty>";
                 return f.fail(hash_tok, try eb.printString(
-                    "hash mismatch: manifest declares {s} but the fetched package has {s}",
-                    .{ declared, computed_package_hash.toSlice() },
+                    "hash mismatch: manifest declares '{s}' but the fetched package has '{s}'",
+                    .{ declared_hash.toSlice(), computed_package_hash.toSlice() },
                 ));
             }
         }