diff --git a/modules/smtp/scanner.go b/modules/smtp/scanner.go
index 3c9cc82..9ff5d7d 100644
--- a/modules/smtp/scanner.go
+++ b/modules/smtp/scanner.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/zmap/zgrab2"
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ func (scanner *Scanner) Scan(target zgrab2.ScanTarget) (zgrab2.ScanStatus, inter
 			return zgrab2.TryGetScanStatus(err), result, err
 		}
 		if code < 200 || code >= 300 {
-			return zgrab2.SCAN_APPLICATION_ERROR, result, fmt.Errorf("SMTP error code %d returned from STARTTLS command (%s)", code, ret)
+			return zgrab2.SCAN_APPLICATION_ERROR, result, fmt.Errorf("SMTP error code %d returned from STARTTLS command (%s)", code, strings.TrimSpace(ret))
 		}
 		tlsConn, err := scanner.config.TLSFlags.GetTLSConnection(conn.Conn)
 		if err != nil {