diff --git a/mercurial/upgrade.py b/mercurial/upgrade.py
--- a/mercurial/upgrade.py
+++ b/mercurial/upgrade.py
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
                 )
             if not (backup or backuppath is None):
                 ui.status(
-                    _(b'removing old repository content%s\n') % backuppath
+                    _(b'removing old repository content %s\n') % backuppath
                 )
                 repo.vfs.rmtree(backuppath, forcibly=True)
                 backuppath = None
diff --git a/tests/test-upgrade-repo.t b/tests/test-upgrade-repo.t
--- a/tests/test-upgrade-repo.t
+++ b/tests/test-upgrade-repo.t
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for * (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ ls -1 .hg/ | grep upgradebackup
   [1]
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
 
 Check that the repo still works fine
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ hg verify
   checking changesets
@@ -837,7 +837,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ hg verify
   checking changesets
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ hg verify
   checking changesets
@@ -946,7 +946,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ hg verify
   checking changesets
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@
   replacing store...
   store replacement complete; repository was inconsistent for *s (glob)
   finalizing requirements file and making repository readable again
-  removing old repository content$TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
+  removing old repository content $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgradebackup.* (glob)
   removing temporary repository $TESTTMP/upgradegd/.hg/upgrade.* (glob)
   $ hg verify
   checking changesets