diff --git a/tracker/checks.py b/tracker/checks.py
index 3d65b31..a1556e5 100644
--- a/tracker/checks.py
+++ b/tracker/checks.py
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ def flag_is_valid(c: Challenge, d: Description) -> list[str]:
     b = []
     content = str(d.flag.get("content") or "")
     if not FLAG_RE.match(content):
-        b.append(f"flag {content} is not h4tum{{...}}" if content else "no flag in description.yml")
+        # never print the content: a wrong prefix or stray whitespace still leaves a real flag
+        b.append("flag in description.yml is not h4tum{...}" if content else "no flag in description.yml")
     if d.flag.get("dynamic") and not any(isinstance(x.get("flag"), dict) for x in d.containers):
         b.append("dynamic flag, but no container is handed one")
     return b