diff --git a/combine-diff.c b/combine-diff.c
index bb1cc96c4e..7f6187f9cd 100644
--- a/combine-diff.c
+++ b/combine-diff.c
@@ -982,14 +982,10 @@ static void show_patch_diff(struct combine_diff_path *elem, int num_parent,
 	free(sline);
 }
 
-#define COLONS "::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::"
-
 static void show_raw_diff(struct combine_diff_path *p, int num_parent, struct rev_info *rev)
 {
 	struct diff_options *opt = &rev->diffopt;
-	int i, offset;
-	const char *prefix;
-	int line_termination, inter_name_termination;
+	int line_termination, inter_name_termination, i;
 
 	line_termination = opt->line_termination;
 	inter_name_termination = '\t';
@@ -1000,17 +996,14 @@ static void show_raw_diff(struct combine_diff_path *p, int num_parent, struct re
 		show_log(rev);
 
 	if (opt->output_format & DIFF_FORMAT_RAW) {
-		offset = strlen(COLONS) - num_parent;
-		if (offset < 0)
-			offset = 0;
-		prefix = COLONS + offset;
+		/* As many colons as there are parents */
+		for (i = 0; i < num_parent; i++)
+			putchar(':');
 
 		/* Show the modes */
-		for (i = 0; i < num_parent; i++) {
-			printf("%s%06o", prefix, p->parent[i].mode);
-			prefix = " ";
-		}
-		printf("%s%06o", prefix, p->mode);
+		for (i = 0; i < num_parent; i++)
+			printf("%06o ", p->parent[i].mode);
+		printf("%06o", p->mode);
 
 		/* Show sha1's */
 		for (i = 0; i < num_parent; i++)