diff --git a/base-notebook/start.sh b/base-notebook/start.sh
index 2749e8cd..bf0c03ca 100755
--- a/base-notebook/start.sh
+++ b/base-notebook/start.sh
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ if [ "$(id -u)" == 0 ] ; then
     # Optionally ensure the desired user get filesystem ownership of it's home
     # folder and/or additional folders
     if [[ "${CHOWN_HOME}" == "1" || "${CHOWN_HOME}" == "yes" ]]; then
-        echo "Ensuring /home/${NB_USER} is owned by ${NB_UID}:${NB_GID} ${CHOWN_HOME_OPTS:+chown options: ${CHOWN_HOME_OPTS}}"
+        echo "Ensuring /home/${NB_USER} is owned by ${NB_UID}:${NB_GID} ${CHOWN_HOME_OPTS:+(chown options: ${CHOWN_HOME_OPTS})}"
         # shellcheck disable=SC2086
         chown ${CHOWN_HOME_OPTS} "${NB_UID}:${NB_GID}" "/home/${NB_USER}"
     fi