diff --git a/augur/curate/apply_geolocation_rules.py b/augur/curate/apply_geolocation_rules.py
index f2c1b494b..7c167a9cf 100644
--- a/augur/curate/apply_geolocation_rules.py
+++ b/augur/curate/apply_geolocation_rules.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def transform_geolocations(geolocation_rules, geolocation):
 
             if rules_applied > 1000:
                 raise CyclicGeolocationRulesError(
-                    "More than 1000 geolocation rules applied on the same entry {geolocation!r}."
+                    f"More than 1000 geolocation rules applied on the same entry {geolocation!r}."
                 )
 
             # Create a new list of values for comparison to previous values
diff --git a/tests/functional/curate/cram/apply-geolocation-rules/cyclic-error.t b/tests/functional/curate/cram/apply-geolocation-rules/cyclic-error.t
index 6e3ee27f9..f380a0d33 100644
--- a/tests/functional/curate/cram/apply-geolocation-rules/cyclic-error.t
+++ b/tests/functional/curate/cram/apply-geolocation-rules/cyclic-error.t
@@ -21,5 +21,5 @@ Attempting to use the rules with a match results in an error.
   $ echo '{"region": "r_old", "country": "c_old", "division": "d_old", "location": "l_old"}' \
   >   |  ${AUGUR} curate apply-geolocation-rules \
   >       --geolocation-rules rules.tsv
-  ERROR: More than 1000 geolocation rules applied on the same entry {geolocation!r}.
+  ERROR: More than 1000 geolocation rules applied on the same entry ['r_old', 'c_old', 'd_old', 'l_old'].
   [2]