diff --git a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
index 28d4d96b8c..ca91cf7f31 100644
--- a/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
+++ b/basis/prettyprint/backend/backend.factor
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ M: byte-array pprint-delims drop \ B{ \ } ;
 M: byte-vector pprint-delims drop \ BV{ \ } ;
 M: vector pprint-delims drop \ V{ \ } ;
 M: cons-state pprint-delims drop \ L{ \ } ;
+M: +nil+ pprint-delims drop \ L{ \ } ;
 M: hashtable pprint-delims drop \ H{ \ } ;
 M: tuple pprint-delims drop \ T{ \ } ;
 M: wrapper pprint-delims drop \ W{ \ } ;
@@ -287,6 +288,9 @@ M: cons-state pprint*
         ] dip pprint-word block>
     ] check-recursion ;
 
+M: +nil+ pprint*
+    <flow pprint-delims [ pprint-word ] bi@ block> ;
+
 : with-extra-nesting-level ( quot -- )
     nesting-limit [ dup [ 1 + ] [ f ] if* ] change
     [ nesting-limit set ] curry finally ; inline