diff --git a/module/system/repl/error-handling.scm b/module/system/repl/error-handling.scm
index 34a158f8a..609d9c3a1 100644
--- a/module/system/repl/error-handling.scm
+++ b/module/system/repl/error-handling.scm
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
     (lambda ()
       (pmatch args
         ((,subr ,msg ,args . ,rest)
+         (guard (> (vector-length stack) 0))
          (display-error (vector-ref stack 0) (current-output-port)
                         subr msg args rest))
         (else
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@
                   (debug (make-debug stack 0 error-msg)))
              (with-saved-ports
               (lambda ()
-                (format #t error-msg)
+                (display error-msg)
                 (format #t "Entering a new prompt.  ")
                 (format #t "Type `,bt' for a backtrace or `,q' to continue.\n")
                 ((@ (system repl repl) start-repl) #:debug debug))))))
diff --git a/module/system/repl/repl.scm b/module/system/repl/repl.scm
index 8275f8fba..9691dfb2a 100644
--- a/module/system/repl/repl.scm
+++ b/module/system/repl/repl.scm
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@
                  (if (eq? k 'quit)
                      (abort args)
                      (begin
-                       (format #t "While executing meta-command:~%" string)
+                       (format #t "While executing meta-command `~A'~%" string)
                        (pmatch args
                          ((,subr ,msg ,args . ,rest)
                           (display-error #f (current-output-port) subr msg args rest))