diff --git a/src/rustc/util/ppaux.rs b/src/rustc/util/ppaux.rs
index 4050f8ced92..6e5f19b1c60 100644
--- a/src/rustc/util/ppaux.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/util/ppaux.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,13 @@ fn region_to_str(cx: ctxt, region: region) -> str {
     alt region {
       re_scope(node_id) { #fmt["&%s", re_scope_id_to_str(cx, node_id)] }
       re_bound(br) { bound_region_to_str(cx, br) }
-      re_free(id, br) { #fmt["{%d} %s", id, bound_region_to_str(cx, br)] }
+      re_free(id, br) {
+        // For debugging, this version is sometimes helpful:
+        //  #fmt["{%d} %s", id, bound_region_to_str(cx, br)]
+
+        // But this version is what the user expects to see:
+        bound_region_to_str(cx, br)
+      }
 
       // These two should not be seen by end-users (very often, anyhow):
       re_var(id)    { #fmt("&%s", id.to_str()) }