diff --git a/src/build-system.jam b/src/build-system.jam
index 313dc31ef..76417e086 100644
--- a/src/build-system.jam
+++ b/src/build-system.jam
@@ -441,8 +441,8 @@ local rule process-explicit-toolset-requests
         {
             if $(.debug-config)
             {
-                ECHO notice: [cmdline-cfg] toolset $(toolset-version) not
-                    previously configured; attempting to auto-configure now ;
+                ECHO "notice: [cmdline-cfg] toolset $(toolset-version) not"
+                    "previously configured; attempting to auto-configure now" ;
             }
             toolset.using $(toolset) : $(version) ;
         }
diff --git a/src/kernel/errors.jam b/src/kernel/errors.jam
index a7cfd8868..63b11e867 100644
--- a/src/kernel/errors.jam
+++ b/src/kernel/errors.jam
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ rule backtrace ( skip-frames prefix messages * : * )
     local drop-elements = $(frame-skips[$(skip-frames)]) ;
     if ! ( $(skip-frames) in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 )
     {
-        ECHO warning: backtrace doesn't support skipping $(skip-frames) frames;
-            using 1 instead. ;
+        ECHO "warning: backtrace doesn't support skipping $(skip-frames) frames;"
+            "using 1 instead." ;
         drop-elements = 5 ;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/boostbook.jam b/src/tools/boostbook.jam
index 633ec342c..8bec8602c 100644
--- a/src/tools/boostbook.jam
+++ b/src/tools/boostbook.jam
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ rule init ( docbook-xsl-dir ? : docbook-dtd-dir ? : boostbook-dir ? )
     if ! $(.boostbook-xsl-dir) || ! $(.boostbook-dtd-dir)
     {
         errors.warning
-          couldn't find BoostBook xsl or dtd directories; 
+          "couldn't find BoostBook xsl or dtd directories;" 
         : please set \"BOOST_ROOT\" variable to the root directory of
         your boost installation.  Searched in:
           : $(search-dirs:J="
diff --git a/src/tools/python.jam b/src/tools/python.jam
index af0011017..80aad4ff8 100644
--- a/src/tools/python.jam
+++ b/src/tools/python.jam
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ local rule configure ( version ? : cmd-or-prefix ? : includes * : libraries ? :
         }
         else
         {
-            debug-message no framework directory found; using library path ;
+            debug-message "no framework directory found; using library path" ;
             framework-directory = ;
         }
     }