diff --git a/xo-refcnt/CMakeLists.txt b/xo-refcnt/CMakeLists.txt
index 4ef7c6c4..d5e487ed 100644
--- a/xo-refcnt/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/xo-refcnt/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ xo_cxx_toplevel_options3()
 # c++ settings
 
 set(XO_PROJECT_NAME refcnt)  # is this used?
-set(PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS "")
+set(PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS "-ftemplate-backtrace-limit=0")
 #set(PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS "-fconcepts-diagnostics-depth=2")  # gcc-only!
 
 add_definitions(${PROJECT_CXX_FLAGS})
diff --git a/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/Refcounted.hpp b/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/Refcounted.hpp
index 13feed3d..732acb0b 100644
--- a/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/Refcounted.hpp
+++ b/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/Refcounted.hpp
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ namespace xo {
         template<typename T>
         inline std::ostream &
         operator<<(std::ostream & os, intrusive_ptr<T> const & x) {
-            if(x.get()) {
+            if (x.get()) {
                 os << *(x.get());
             } else {
                 os << "<nullptr " << reflect::type_name<T>() << ">";
diff --git a/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/pretty_refcnt.hpp b/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/pretty_refcnt.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ecf53aba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xo-refcnt/include/xo/refcnt/pretty_refcnt.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/* @file pretty_refcnt.hpp
+ *
+ * author: Roland Conybeare, Jul 2025
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "Refcounted.hpp"
+#include "xo/indentlog/print/pretty.hpp"
+
+namespace xo {
+    namespace print {
+        template <>
+        struct ppdetail<xo::ref::Refcount *> {
+            static bool print_upto(ppstate * pps, const xo::ref::Refcount * x) {
+                return ppdetail_atomic<const xo::ref::Refcount *>::print_upto(pps, x);
+            }
+            static void print_pretty(ppstate * pps, const xo::ref::Refcount * x) {
+                ppdetail_atomic<const xo::ref::Refcount *>::print_pretty(pps, x);
+            }
+        };
+
+        template <typename T>
+        struct ppdetail<rp<T>> {
+            static bool print_upto(ppstate * pps, const rp<T> & x) {
+                if (auto p = x.get()) {
+                    return ppdetail<T>::print_upto(pps, *p);
+                } else {
+                    /* note: degenerate case here, since never write newline for nullptr */
+
+                    pps->write("<nullptr ");
+                    pps->write(reflect::type_name<T>());
+                    pps->write(">");
+
+                    return pps->has_margin();
+                }
+            }
+
+            static void print_pretty(ppstate * pps,  const rp<T> & x) {
+                if (auto p = x.get()) {
+                    ppdetail<T>::print_pretty(pps, *p);
+                } else {
+                    pps->write("<nullptr ");
+                    pps->write(reflect::type_name<T>());
+                    pps->write(">");
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        template <typename T>
+        struct ppdetail<bp<T>> {
+            static bool print_upto(ppstate * pps, const bp<T> & x) {
+                if (auto p = x.get()) {
+                    return ppdetail<T>::print_upto(pps, *p);
+                } else {
+                    /* note: degenerate case here, since never write newline for nullptr */
+
+                    pps->write("<nullptr ");
+                    pps->write(reflect::type_name<T>());
+                    pps->write(">");
+
+                    return pps->has_margin();
+                }
+            }
+
+            static void print_pretty(ppstate * pps,  const bp<T> & x) {
+                if (auto p = x.get()) {
+                    ppdetail<T>::print_pretty(pps, *p);
+                } else {
+                    pps->write("<nullptr ");
+                    pps->write(reflect::type_name<T>());
+                    pps->write(">");
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+}
diff --git a/xo-refcnt/src/Refcounted.cpp b/xo-refcnt/src/Refcounted.cpp
index 38accc85..f08d9c62 100644
--- a/xo-refcnt/src/Refcounted.cpp
+++ b/xo-refcnt/src/Refcounted.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 /* @file Refcounted.cpp */
 
 #include "Refcounted.hpp"
+#include "pretty_refcnt.hpp"
 
 namespace xo {
     namespace ref {