diff --git a/apex/amp/handle.py b/apex/amp/handle.py
index 41617deee..d7409dc8e 100644
--- a/apex/amp/handle.py
+++ b/apex/amp/handle.py
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ def scale_loss(loss,
             if should_skip:
                 optimizer_step = optimizer.step
                 def skip_step():
-                    maybe_print("Gradient overflow.  Skipping step, loss scaler {} reducing " +
-                                "loss scale to {}".format(loss_id, loss_scaler.loss_scale()))
+                    maybe_print(("Gradient overflow.  Skipping step, loss scaler {} reducing " +
+                                "loss scale to {}").format(loss_id, loss_scaler.loss_scale()))
                     optimizer.step = optimizer_step
                 optimizer.step = skip_step