diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/ParseRtf.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/ParseRtf.py
index e442a1c496..40945be975 100755
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/ParseRtf.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/rtf2xml/ParseRtf.py
@@ -376,13 +376,13 @@ class ParseRtf:
                 msg += 'self.__run_level is "%s"\n' % self.__run_level
                 raise RtfInvalidCodeException, msg
             if self.__run_level > 1:
-                sys.stderr.write(_('File could be older RTF...\n'))
+                sys.stderr.write('File could be older RTF...\n')
             if found_destination:
                 if self.__run_level > 1:
-                    sys.stderr.write(_(
+                    sys.stderr.write(
                         'File also has newer RTF.\n'
                         'Will do the best to convert.\n'
-                    ))
+                    )
             add_brackets_obj = add_brackets.AddBrackets(
                     in_file = self.__temp_file,
                     bug_handler = RtfInvalidCodeException,