--- busybox-1.12.3/coreutils/printf.c	Sun Sep 28 20:04:18 2008
+++ busybox-1.12.3-printf/coreutils/printf.c	Wed Dec 17 03:23:27 2008
@@ -359,8 +359,15 @@
 	 * We will mimic coreutils. */
 	if (argv[1] && argv[1][0] == '-' && argv[1][1] == '-' && !argv[1][2])
 		argv++;
-	if (!argv[1])
+	if (!argv[1]) {
+		if (ENABLE_ASH_BUILTIN_PRINTF
+		 && applet_name[0] != 'p'
+		) {
+			bb_error_msg("usage: printf FORMAT [ARGUMENT...]");
+			return 2; /* bash compat */
+		}
 		bb_show_usage();
+	}
 
 	format = argv[1];
 	argv2 = argv + 2;