diff --git a/src/wp-admin/comment.php b/src/wp-admin/comment.php
index a883e613ed..2c5dc9c976 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/comment.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/comment.php
@@ -182,7 +182,11 @@ if ( $comment->comment_approved != '0' ) { // if not unapproved
 			$parent      = get_comment( $comment->comment_parent );
 			$parent_link = esc_url( get_comment_link( $parent ) );
 			$name        = get_comment_author( $parent );
-			printf( ' | ' . __( 'In reply to <a href="%1$s">%2$s</a>.' ), $parent_link, $name );
+			printf(
+				/* translators: comment link */
+				' | ' . __( 'In reply to %s.' ),
+				'<a href="' . $parent_link . '">' . $name . '</a>'
+			);
 		}
 	?>
 	</td>
diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-comments-list-table.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-comments-list-table.php
index 0f31b031dd..a8ef8ced6a 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-comments-list-table.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/class-wp-comments-list-table.php
@@ -610,7 +610,11 @@ class WP_Comments_List_Table extends WP_List_Table {
 			if ( $parent ) {
 				$parent_link = esc_url( get_comment_link( $parent ) );
 				$name = get_comment_author( $parent );
-				printf( ' | '.__( 'In reply to <a href="%1$s">%2$s</a>.' ), $parent_link, $name );
+				printf(
+					/* translators: comment link */
+					' | ' . __( 'In reply to %s.' ),
+					'<a href="' . $parent_link . '">' . $name . '</a>'
+				);
 			}
 		}