diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.cc b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
index 193358161..d9d36fab2 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
@@ -86,15 +86,10 @@ RootValue allocRootValue(Value * v)
 }
 
 
-void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Value & v)
+void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & seen, const Value & v)
 {
     checkInterrupt();
 
-    if (!active.insert(&v).second) {
-        str << "<CYCLE>";
-        return;
-    }
-
     switch (v.internalType) {
     case tInt:
         str << v.integer;
@@ -120,10 +115,14 @@ void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Valu
         str << "null";
         break;
     case tAttrs: {
+        seen.insert(&v);
         str << "{ ";
         for (auto & i : v.attrs->lexicographicOrder()) {
             str << i->name << " = ";
-            printValue(str, active, *i->value);
+            if (seen.count(i->value))
+                str << "<REPEAT>";
+            else
+                printValue(str, seen, *i->value);
             str << "; ";
         }
         str << "}";
@@ -132,9 +131,13 @@ void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Valu
     case tList1:
     case tList2:
     case tListN:
+        seen.insert(&v);
         str << "[ ";
         for (auto v2 : v.listItems()) {
-            printValue(str, active, *v2);
+            if (seen.count(v2))
+                str << "<REPEAT>";
+            else
+                printValue(str, seen, *v2);
             str << " ";
         }
         str << "]";
@@ -161,15 +164,13 @@ void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Valu
     default:
         abort();
     }
-
-    active.erase(&v);
 }
 
 
 std::ostream & operator << (std::ostream & str, const Value & v)
 {
-    std::set<const Value *> active;
-    printValue(str, active, v);
+    std::set<const Value *> seen;
+    printValue(str, seen, v);
     return str;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/value.hh b/src/libexpr/value.hh
index 3fdff71a5..84c4d09f8 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/value.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/value.hh
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ struct Value
 private:
     InternalType internalType;
 
-friend std::string showType(const Value & v);
-friend void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & active, const Value & v);
+    friend std::string showType(const Value & v);
+    friend void printValue(std::ostream & str, std::set<const Value *> & seen, const Value & v);
 
 public:
 
diff --git a/src/nix/repl.cc b/src/nix/repl.cc
index 5c0d44c68..3a51a13e6 100644
--- a/src/nix/repl.cc
+++ b/src/nix/repl.cc
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ std::ostream & NixRepl::printValue(std::ostream & str, Value & v, unsigned int m
                 else
                     printStringValue(str, i.first.c_str());
                 str << " = ";
-                if (seen.find(i.second) != seen.end())
+                if (seen.count(i.second))
                     str << "«repeated»";
                 else
                     try {