diff --git a/kitty/boss.py b/kitty/boss.py
index 84b8abceb..b6bd617d5 100644
--- a/kitty/boss.py
+++ b/kitty/boss.py
@@ -974,13 +974,14 @@ class Boss:
                     background_program = background_program or (q['cmdline'] or [''])[0]
         if num := num_running_programs + num_background_programs:
             if num_running_programs:
-                return ngettext(_('It is running: {}.'), _('It is running: {0} and {1} other programs.'), num_running_programs).format(
+                return ngettext(_('It is running: {0}.'), _('It is running: {0} and {1} other programs.'), num_running_programs).format(
                         green(running_program), num_running_programs - 1), num
             if num_background_programs:
-                return ngettext(_('It is running in the background: {}.'), _('It is running in the background: {0} and {1} other programs.'),
-                                num_background_programs).format(green(background_program), num_background_programs - 1) + ' ' + _(
-                                        '\n\nBackground programs should be run with the disown command'
-                                        ' to allow them to continue running when the terminal is closed.'), num
+                return ngettext(_('It is running: {0} in the background.'), _(
+                    'It is running: {0} in the background and {1} other programs.'),
+                    num_background_programs).format(green(background_program), num_background_programs - 1) + ' ' + _(
+                            '\n\nBackground programs should be run with the disown command'
+                            ' to allow them to continue running when the terminal is closed.'), num
         return '', 0
 
     @ac('win', '''