diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h b/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
index 0242177fdd2..82341fef845 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ int nlattr_get_nla(struct nlattr *nla, struct nl_pstate *npt,
 int nlattr_get_nested(struct nlattr *nla, struct nl_pstate *npt,
     const void *arg, void *target);
 
-bool nlmsg_report_err_msg(struct nl_pstate *npt, const char *fmt, ...);
+bool nlmsg_report_err_msg(struct nl_pstate *npt, const char *fmt, ...)
+	__printflike(2, 3);
 
 #define	NLMSG_REPORT_ERR_MSG(_npt, _fmt, ...) {	\
 	nlmsg_report_err_msg(_npt, _fmt, ## __VA_ARGS__); \