diff --git a/ice-9/boot-9.scm b/ice-9/boot-9.scm
index 80758722f..430a8f955 100644
--- a/ice-9/boot-9.scm
+++ b/ice-9/boot-9.scm
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@
 ;;; presumably deprecated.
 (define feature? provided?)
 
+;;; let format alias simple-format until the more complete version is loaded
+(define format simple-format)
+
 
 ;;; {R4RS compliance}
 
@@ -591,10 +594,10 @@
   (save-stack)
   (if (null? args)
       (scm-error 'misc-error #f "?" #f #f)
-      (let loop ((msg "%s")
+      (let loop ((msg "~A")
 		 (rest (cdr args)))
 	(if (not (null? rest))
-	    (loop (string-append msg " %S")
+	    (loop (string-append msg " ~S")
 		  (cdr rest))
 	    (scm-error 'misc-error #f msg args #f)))))
 
diff --git a/ice-9/expect.scm b/ice-9/expect.scm
index 20beac4be..8377c9d05 100644
--- a/ice-9/expect.scm
+++ b/ice-9/expect.scm
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 					       2))
 				       (scm-error 'misc-error
 						  "expect"
-						  "bad recipient: %S"
+						  "bad recipient: ~S"
 						  (list (car exprs))
 						  #f)
 				       `((apply ,(cadar exprs)
diff --git a/ice-9/syncase.scm b/ice-9/syncase.scm
index a1f5ac775..bc124bafd 100644
--- a/ice-9/syncase.scm
+++ b/ice-9/syncase.scm
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
   (start-stack 'syncase-stack
 	       (scm-error 'misc-error
 			  who
-			  "%s %S"
+			  "~A ~S"
 			  (list why what)
 			  '())))