diff --git a/gclient.py b/gclient.py
index 498848af0..61d36d59d 100644
--- a/gclient.py
+++ b/gclient.py
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ class GClient(object):
     # makes testing a bit too fun.
     result = pprint.pformat(entries, 2)
     if result.startswith('{\''):
-      result[0:2] = '{ \''
+      result = '{ \'' + result[2:]
     text = "entries = \\\n" + result + '\n'
     file_path = os.path.join(self._root_dir, self._options.entries_filename)
     gclient_utils.FileWrite(file_path, text)