diff --git a/evennia/accounts/accounts.py b/evennia/accounts/accounts.py
index b361f4f910..1f41b577da 100644
--- a/evennia/accounts/accounts.py
+++ b/evennia/accounts/accounts.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ class DefaultAccount(AccountDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
             return
         if not obj.access(self, "puppet"):
             # no access
-            self.msg(_(f"You don't have permission to puppet '{obj.key}'."))
+            self.msg(_("You don't have permission to puppet '{key}'.".format(key=obj.key)))
             return
         if obj.account:
             # object already puppeted
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ class DefaultAccount(AccountDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
                         self.unpuppet_object(obj.sessions.get())
             elif obj.account.is_connected:
                 # controlled by another account
-                self.msg(_(f"|c{obj.key}|R is already puppeted by another Account."))
+                self.msg(_("|c{key}|R is already puppeted by another Account.".format(key=obj.key)))
                 return
 
         # do the puppeting
@@ -1305,7 +1305,7 @@ class DefaultAccount(AccountDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
 
         """
         reason = f" ({reason if reason else ''})"
-        self._send_to_connect_channel(_(f"|R{self.key} disconnected{reason}|n"))
+        self._send_to_connect_channel(_("|R{key} disconnected{reason}|n".format(key=self.key)))
 
     def at_post_disconnect(self, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -1411,7 +1411,7 @@ class DefaultAccount(AccountDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
             if hasattr(target, "return_appearance"):
                 return target.return_appearance(self)
             else:
-                return _(f"{target} has no in-game appearance.")
+                return _("{target} has no in-game appearance.".format(target=target))
         else:
             # list of targets - make list to disconnect from db
             characters = list(tar for tar in target if tar) if target else []
@@ -1589,7 +1589,7 @@ class DefaultGuest(DefaultAccount):
                 overriding the call (unused by default).
 
         """
-        self._send_to_connect_channel(_(f"|G{self.key} connected|n"))
+        self._send_to_connect_channel(_("|G{key} connected|n".format(key=self.key)))
         self.puppet_object(session, self.db._last_puppet)
 
     def at_server_shutdown(self):
diff --git a/evennia/accounts/bots.py b/evennia/accounts/bots.py
index db68fa09f6..270addac73 100644
--- a/evennia/accounts/bots.py
+++ b/evennia/accounts/bots.py
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ class IRCBot(Bot):
                 chstr = f"{self.db.irc_channel} ({self.db.irc_network}:{self.db.irc_port})"
                 nicklist = ", ".join(sorted(kwargs["nicklist"], key=lambda n: n.lower()))
                 for obj in self._nicklist_callers:
-                    obj.msg(_(f"Nicks at {chstr}:\n {nicklist}"))
+                    obj.msg(_("Nicks at {chstr}:\n {nicklist}".format(chstr=chstr, nicklist=nicklist)))
                 self._nicklist_callers = []
             return
 
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ class IRCBot(Bot):
             if hasattr(self, "_ping_callers") and self._ping_callers:
                 chstr = f"{self.db.irc_channel} ({self.db.irc_network}:{self.db.irc_port})"
                 for obj in self._ping_callers:
-                    obj.msg(_(f"IRC ping return from {chstr} took {kwargs['timing']}s."))
+                    obj.msg(_("IRC ping return from {chstr} took {time}s.".format(chstr=chstr, time=kwargs['timing'])))
                 self._ping_callers = []
             return
 
diff --git a/evennia/commands/cmdhandler.py b/evennia/commands/cmdhandler.py
index 6f8f247a72..7898b9aedd 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/cmdhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/cmdhandler.py
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ def cmdhandler(
                         sysarg = raw_string
                     else:
                         # fallback to default error text
-                        sysarg = _("Command '%s' is not available.") % raw_string
+                        sysarg = _("Command '{command}' is not available.".format(command=raw_string))
                         suggestions = string_suggestions(
                             raw_string,
                             cmdset.get_all_cmd_keys_and_aliases(caller),
@@ -751,9 +751,7 @@ def cmdhandler(
                             maxnum=3,
                         )
                         if suggestions:
-                            sysarg += _(" Maybe you meant %s?") % utils.list_to_string(
-                                suggestions, _("or"), addquote=True
-                            )
+                            sysarg += _(" Maybe you meant {command}?".format(command=utils.list_to_string(suggestions, _("or"), addquote=True)))
                         else:
                             sysarg += _(' Type "help" for help.')
                     raise ExecSystemCommand(syscmd, sysarg)
diff --git a/evennia/commands/cmdsethandler.py b/evennia/commands/cmdsethandler.py
index 395c9c2ba3..4b596e6a50 100644
--- a/evennia/commands/cmdsethandler.py
+++ b/evennia/commands/cmdsethandler.py
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ def import_cmdset(path, cmdsetobj, emit_to_obj=None, no_logging=False):
                         raise exc.with_traceback(tb)
                     else:
                         # try next suggested path
-                        errstring += _("\n(Unsuccessfully tried '%s')." % python_path)
+                        errstring += _("\n(Unsuccessfully tried '{path}').".format(path=python_path))
                         continue
                 try:
                     cmdsetclass = getattr(module, classname)
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ def import_cmdset(path, cmdsetobj, emit_to_obj=None, no_logging=False):
                         dum, dum, tb = sys.exc_info()
                         raise exc.with_traceback(tb)
                     else:
-                        errstring += _("\n(Unsuccessfully tried '%s')." % python_path)
+                        errstring += _("\n(Unsuccessfully tried '{path}').".format(path=python_path))
                         continue
                 _CACHED_CMDSETS[python_path] = cmdsetclass
 
diff --git a/evennia/help/manager.py b/evennia/help/manager.py
index b218eeb9fc..02ce32c927 100644
--- a/evennia/help/manager.py
+++ b/evennia/help/manager.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class HelpEntryManager(TypedObjectManager):
         for topic in topics:
             topic.help_category = default_category
             topic.save()
-        string = _(f"Help database moved to category {default_category}")
+        string = _("Help database moved to category {default_category}".format(default_category=default_category))
         logger.log_info(string)
 
     def search_help(self, ostring, help_category=None):
diff --git a/evennia/locks/lockhandler.py b/evennia/locks/lockhandler.py
index ac8c85abc8..a1b935ddd1 100644
--- a/evennia/locks/lockhandler.py
+++ b/evennia/locks/lockhandler.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class LockHandler(object):
                 evalstring = " ".join(_RE_OK.findall(evalstring))
                 eval(evalstring % tuple(True for func in funclist), {}, {})
             except Exception:
-                elist.append(_("Lock: definition '%s' has syntax errors.") % raw_lockstring)
+                elist.append(_("Lock: definition '{lock_string}' has syntax errors.".format(lock_string=raw_lockstring)))
                 continue
             if access_type in locks:
                 duplicates += 1
diff --git a/evennia/objects/objects.py b/evennia/objects/objects.py
index de9d09abae..f977996fa1 100644
--- a/evennia/objects/objects.py
+++ b/evennia/objects/objects.py
@@ -1055,7 +1055,7 @@ class DefaultObject(ObjectDB, metaclass=TypeclassBase):
         # See if we need to kick the account off.
 
         for session in self.sessions.all():
-            session.msg(_("Your character %s has been destroyed.") % self.key)
+            session.msg(_("Your character {key} has been destroyed.".format(key=self.key)))
             # no need to disconnect, Account just jumps to OOC mode.
         # sever the connection (important!)
         if self.account:
diff --git a/evennia/utils/utils.py b/evennia/utils/utils.py
index cc191fdd53..ac32801899 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/utils.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/utils.py
@@ -1916,7 +1916,7 @@ def at_search_result(matches, caller, query="", quiet=False, **kwargs):
         if multimatch_string:
             error = "%s\n" % multimatch_string
         else:
-            error = _("More than one match for '%s' (please narrow target):\n" % query)
+            error = _("More than one match for '{query}' (please narrow target):\n".format(query=query))
 
         for num, result in enumerate(matches):
             # we need to consider Commands, where .aliases is a list
diff --git a/evennia/utils/validatorfuncs.py b/evennia/utils/validatorfuncs.py
index d368cc4ddd..7e4f05cf69 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/validatorfuncs.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/validatorfuncs.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def datetime(entry, option_key="Datetime", account=None, from_tz=None, **kwargs)
 
     """
     if not entry:
-        raise ValueError(_(f"No {option_key} entered!"))
+        raise ValueError(_("No {option_key} entered!".format(option_key=option_key)))
     if not from_tz:
         from_tz = _pytz.UTC
         if account:
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def datetime(entry, option_key="Datetime", account=None, from_tz=None, **kwargs)
             try:
                 from_tz = _pytz.timezone(acct_tz)
             except Exception as err:
-                raise ValueError(_(f"Timezone string '{acct_tz}' is not a valid timezone ({err})"))
+                raise ValueError(_("Timezone string '{acct_tz}' is not a valid timezone ({err})".format(acct_tz=acct_tz, err=err)))
         else:
             from_tz = _pytz.UTC