diff --git a/pkg/noun/allocate.c b/pkg/noun/allocate.c
index 4536069a65..ddee5451bd 100644
--- a/pkg/noun/allocate.c
+++ b/pkg/noun/allocate.c
@@ -1922,6 +1922,27 @@ u3a_discount_noun(u3_noun som)
   }
 }
 
+/* u3a_print_time: print microsecond time.
+*/
+void
+u3a_print_time(c3_c* str_c, c3_c* cap_c, c3_d mic_d)
+{
+  c3_assert( 0 != str_c );
+
+  c3_w sec_w = (mic_d / 1000000);
+  c3_w mec_w = (mic_d % 1000000) / 1000;
+  c3_w mic_w = (mic_d % 1000);
+
+  if ( sec_w ) {
+    sprintf(str_c, "%s s/%d.%03d.%03d", cap_c, sec_w, mec_w, mic_w);
+  }
+  else if ( mec_w ) {
+    sprintf(str_c, "%s ms/%d.%03d", cap_c, mec_w, mic_w);
+  }
+  else {
+    sprintf(str_c, "%s \xc2\xb5s/%d", cap_c, mic_w);
+  }
+}
 
 /* u3a_print_memory: print memory amount.
 */
diff --git a/pkg/noun/allocate.h b/pkg/noun/allocate.h
index 7b9d843157..cc30b18fae 100644
--- a/pkg/noun/allocate.h
+++ b/pkg/noun/allocate.h
@@ -677,6 +677,11 @@
           void
           u3a_lop(c3_w lab_w);
 
+        /* u3a_print_time: print microsecond time.
+        */
+          void
+          u3a_print_time(c3_c* str_c, c3_c* cap_c, c3_d mic_d);
+
         /* u3a_print_memory(): print memory amount.
         */
           void
diff --git a/pkg/noun/nock.c b/pkg/noun/nock.c
index 06b7e299d6..1140d601eb 100644
--- a/pkg/noun/nock.c
+++ b/pkg/noun/nock.c
@@ -1736,8 +1736,8 @@ _n_hilt_hind(u3_noun tok, u3_noun pro)
   u3_noun p_tok, q_tok;
   if ( (c3y == u3r_cell(tok, &p_tok, &q_tok)) && (c3__bout == p_tok) ) {
     u3_atom delta = u3ka_sub(u3i_chub(u3t_trace_time()), u3k(q_tok));
-    c3_c    str_c[64];
-    snprintf(str_c, 63, "took %" PRIu64 "\xc2\xb5s", u3r_chub(0, delta) );
+    c3_c str_c[64];
+    u3a_print_time(str_c, "took", u3r_chub(0, delta));
     u3t_slog(u3nc(0, u3i_string(str_c)));
     u3z(delta);
   }
@@ -1820,7 +1820,7 @@ _n_hint_hind(u3_noun tok, u3_noun pro)
 
     // format the timing report
     c3_c str_c[64];
-    snprintf(str_c, 63, "took %" PRIu64 "\xc2\xb5s", u3r_chub(0, delta) );
+    u3a_print_time(str_c, "took", u3r_chub(0, delta));
 
     // join the timing report with the original tank from q_q_tok like so:
     // "q_q_tok: report"