diff --git a/builtin/add.c b/builtin/add.c
index 1e33ab81f2..0c5f53c0bb 100644
--- a/builtin/add.c
+++ b/builtin/add.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static void chmod_pathspec(struct pathspec *pathspec, char flip, int show_only)
 			err = S_ISREG(ce->ce_mode) ? 0 : -1;
 
 		if (err < 0)
-			fprintf(stderr, "cannot chmod %cx '%s'\n", flip, ce->name);
+			error(_("cannot chmod %cx '%s'"), flip, ce->name);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t3700-add.sh b/t/t3700-add.sh
index fc81f2ef00..6a8b94a4f7 100755
--- a/t/t3700-add.sh
+++ b/t/t3700-add.sh
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ test_expect_success 'git add --chmod --dry-run reports error for non regular fil
 	git reset --hard &&
 	test_ln_s_add foo foo4 &&
 	git add --chmod=+x --dry-run foo4 2>stderr &&
-	grep "cannot chmod +x .foo4." stderr
+	test_i18ngrep "cannot chmod +x .foo4." stderr
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'git add --chmod --dry-run reports error for unmatched pathspec' '