diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
index 3ed2f021bf7a07d6300c604e36268649b7b8203a..7f18a82e54fc874700bf412a393caeaecefd1164 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/pkey-helpers.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 #define DPRINT_IN_SIGNAL_BUF_SIZE 4096
 extern int dprint_in_signal;
 extern char dprint_in_signal_buffer[DPRINT_IN_SIGNAL_BUF_SIZE];
+
+#ifdef __GNUC__
+__attribute__((format(printf, 1, 2)))
+#endif
 static inline void sigsafe_printf(const char *format, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;