diff --git a/guix/scripts/substitute.scm b/guix/scripts/substitute.scm
index 8e1119fb49..ab52245e8e 100755
--- a/guix/scripts/substitute.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/substitute.scm
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ if file doesn't exist, and the narinfo otherwise."
     (let ((done 0)
           (total (length paths)))
       (lambda ()
-        (display #\cr (current-error-port))
+        (display "\r\x1b[K" (current-error-port)) ;erase current line
         (force-output (current-error-port))
         (format (current-error-port)
                 (G_ "updating list of substitutes from '~a'... ~5,1f%")