diff --git a/scripts/sync_standards.bat b/scripts/sync_standards.bat
index 6504abb..aca801e 100644
--- a/scripts/sync_standards.bat
+++ b/scripts/sync_standards.bat
@@ -61,12 +61,12 @@ if "%SYNC_STANDARDS_INNER%"=="" (
 
 set "AGENTS_SRC=%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%\%AGENTS_NS%"
 if not exist "%AGENTS_SRC%" (
-  rem Backward-compatible fallback: older snapshots used <snapshot>\.agents\* directly.
+  rem Backward-compatible fallback: older snapshots used ^<snapshot^>\.agents\* directly.
   if exist "%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%\index.md" if exist "%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%\auth.md" (
     set "AGENTS_SRC=%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%"
   ) else (
     echo ERROR: Standards snapshot not found at "%AGENTS_SRC%".
-    echo Hint: set AGENTS_NS to one of the subdirs under "%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%" (e.g. tsl/cpp).
+    echo Hint: set AGENTS_NS to one of the subdirs under "%AGENTS_SRC_ROOT%" ^(e.g. tsl/cpp^).
     exit /b 1
   )
 )