diff --git a/config.mak.dev b/config.mak.dev
index bf1f3fcdee..89b218d11a 100644
--- a/config.mak.dev
+++ b/config.mak.dev
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ endif
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wall
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wdeclaration-after-statement
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wformat-security
-DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wno-format-zero-length
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wold-style-definition
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Woverflow
 DEVELOPER_CFLAGS += -Wpointer-arith
diff --git a/rebase-interactive.c b/rebase-interactive.c
index d86b434b3d..762853bc7e 100644
--- a/rebase-interactive.c
+++ b/rebase-interactive.c
@@ -129,14 +129,14 @@ int edit_todo_list(struct repository *r, struct todo_list *todo_list,
 
 	if (incorrect) {
 		if (todo_list_check_against_backup(r, new_todo)) {
-			write_file(rebase_path_dropped(), "");
+			write_file(rebase_path_dropped(), "%s", "");
 			return -4;
 		}
 
 		if (incorrect > 0)
 			unlink(rebase_path_dropped());
 	} else if (todo_list_check(todo_list, new_todo)) {
-		write_file(rebase_path_dropped(), "");
+		write_file(rebase_path_dropped(), "%s", "");
 		return -4;
 	}