diff --git a/rcl/include/rcl/error_handling.h b/rcl/include/rcl/error_handling.h
index f8b09d0392..471a527833 100644
--- a/rcl/include/rcl/error_handling.h
+++ b/rcl/include/rcl/error_handling.h
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ typedef rcutils_error_state_t rcl_error_state_t;
 
 #define RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(msg, allocator) RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG(msg, allocator)
 
+#define RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(allocator, fmt_str, ...) \
+  RCUTILS_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(allocator, fmt_str, __VA_ARGS__)
+
 #define rcl_error_is_set rcutils_error_is_set
 
 #define rcl_get_error_state rcutils_get_error_state
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/expand_topic_name.c b/rcl/src/rcl/expand_topic_name.c
index 22b0628506..bd59ae0ceb 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/expand_topic_name.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/expand_topic_name.c
@@ -166,20 +166,14 @@ rcl_expand_topic_name(
           *output_topic_name = NULL;
           char * unmatched_substitution =
             rcutils_strndup(next_opening_brace, substitution_substr_len, allocator);
-          char * allocated_msg = NULL;
-          char * msg = NULL;
           if (unmatched_substitution) {
-            allocated_msg = rcutils_format_string(
+            RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(
               allocator,
               "unknown substitution: %s", unmatched_substitution);
-            msg = allocated_msg;
           } else {
-            RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("failed to allocate memory for error message\n");
-            msg = "unknown substitution: allocation failed when reporting error";
+            RCUTILS_SAFE_FWRITE_TO_STDERR("failed to allocate memory for unmatched substitution\n");
           }
-          RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(msg, allocator)
           allocator.deallocate(unmatched_substitution, allocator.state);
-          allocator.deallocate(allocated_msg, allocator.state);
           allocator.deallocate(local_output, allocator.state);
           return RCL_RET_UNKNOWN_SUBSTITUTION;
         }
diff --git a/rcl_lifecycle/src/transition_map.c b/rcl_lifecycle/src/transition_map.c
index 20cb8b5970..99d9f3d975 100644
--- a/rcl_lifecycle/src/transition_map.c
+++ b/rcl_lifecycle/src/transition_map.c
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ rcl_lifecycle_register_state(
   const rcutils_allocator_t * allocator)
 {
   if (rcl_lifecycle_get_state(transition_map, state.id) != NULL) {
-    char * error_msg = rcutils_format_string(rcutils_get_default_allocator(),
-        "state %u is already registered\n", state.id);
-    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(error_msg, rcutils_get_default_allocator());
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(rcutils_get_default_allocator(),
+      "state %u is already registered\n", state.id);
     return RCL_RET_ERROR;
   }
 
@@ -115,9 +114,8 @@ rcl_lifecycle_register_transition(
 
   rcl_lifecycle_state_t * state = rcl_lifecycle_get_state(transition_map, transition.start->id);
   if (!state) {
-    char * error_msg = rcutils_format_string(rcl_get_default_allocator(),
-        "state %u is not registered\n", transition.start->id);
-    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG(error_msg, rcl_get_default_allocator());
+    RCL_SET_ERROR_MSG_WITH_FORMAT_STRING(rcl_get_default_allocator(),
+      "state %u is not registered\n", transition.start->id);
     return RCL_RET_ERROR;
   }