diff --git a/heat/core/printing.py b/heat/core/printing.py
index e06db65c5..5f9f95218 100644
--- a/heat/core/printing.py
+++ b/heat/core/printing.py
@@ -303,6 +303,9 @@ def _tensor_str(dndarray, indent: int) -> str:
     # to do so, we slice up the torch data and forward it to torch internal printing mechanism
     summarize = elements > get_printoptions()["threshold"]
     torch_data = _torch_data(dndarray, summarize)
+    if not dndarray.is_distributed():
+        # let torch handle formatting on non-distributed data
+        # formatter gets too slow for even moderately large tensors
+        return torch._tensor_str._tensor_str(torch_data, indent)
     formatter = torch._tensor_str._Formatter(torch_data)
-
     return torch._tensor_str._tensor_str_with_formatter(torch_data, indent, summarize, formatter)