diff --git a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_diff.c b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_diff.c
index 77b9da6aad..8884ac536a 100644
--- a/lib/libzfs/libzfs_diff.c
+++ b/lib/libzfs/libzfs_diff.c
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@
 #define	ZDIFF_PREFIX		"zfs-diff-%d"
 
 #define	ZDIFF_ADDED	'+'
-#define	ZDIFF_MODIFIED	'M'
+#define	ZDIFF_MODIFIED	"M"
 #define	ZDIFF_REMOVED	'-'
-#define	ZDIFF_RENAMED	'R'
+#define	ZDIFF_RENAMED	"R"
 
 
 /*
@@ -180,16 +180,13 @@ print_rename(FILE *fp, differ_info_t *di, const char *old, const char *new,
 		(void) fprintf(fp, "%10lld.%09lld\t",
 		    (longlong_t)isb->zs_ctime[0],
 		    (longlong_t)isb->zs_ctime[1]);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "%c\t", ZDIFF_RENAMED);
+	(void) fputs(ZDIFF_RENAMED "\t", fp);
 	if (di->classify)
 		(void) fprintf(fp, "%c\t", get_what(isb->zs_mode));
 	print_cmn(fp, di, old);
-	if (di->scripted)
-		(void) fprintf(fp, "\t");
-	else
-		(void) fprintf(fp, " -> ");
+	(void) fputs(di->scripted ? "\t" : " -> ", fp);
 	print_cmn(fp, di, new);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "\n");
+	(void) fputc('\n', fp);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -200,12 +197,11 @@ print_link_change(FILE *fp, differ_info_t *di, int delta, const char *file,
 		(void) fprintf(fp, "%10lld.%09lld\t",
 		    (longlong_t)isb->zs_ctime[0],
 		    (longlong_t)isb->zs_ctime[1]);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "%c\t", ZDIFF_MODIFIED);
+	(void) fputs(ZDIFF_MODIFIED "\t", fp);
 	if (di->classify)
 		(void) fprintf(fp, "%c\t", get_what(isb->zs_mode));
 	print_cmn(fp, di, file);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "\t(%+d)", delta);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "\n");
+	(void) fprintf(fp, "\t(%+d)\n", delta);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -220,7 +216,7 @@ print_file(FILE *fp, differ_info_t *di, char type, const char *file,
 	if (di->classify)
 		(void) fprintf(fp, "%c\t", get_what(isb->zs_mode));
 	print_cmn(fp, di, file);
-	(void) fprintf(fp, "\n");
+	(void) fputc('\n', fp);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -313,7 +309,7 @@ write_inuse_diffs_one(FILE *fp, differ_info_t *di, uint64_t dobj)
 			print_link_change(fp, di, change,
 			    change > 0 ? fobjname : tobjname, &tsb);
 		} else if (strcmp(fobjname, tobjname) == 0) {
-			print_file(fp, di, ZDIFF_MODIFIED, fobjname, &tsb);
+			print_file(fp, di, *ZDIFF_MODIFIED, fobjname, &tsb);
 		} else {
 			print_rename(fp, di, fobjname, tobjname, &tsb);
 		}