diff --git a/lisp/kmacro.el b/lisp/kmacro.el
index 5476c2395ca..3f1f12fad6f 100644
--- a/lisp/kmacro.el
+++ b/lisp/kmacro.el
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ Such a \"function\" cannot be called from Lisp, but it is a valid editor command
 
 (cl-defmethod register-val-describe ((data kmacro-register) _verbose)
   (princ (format "a keyboard macro:\n   %s"
-		 (format-kbd-macro (kmacro-register-macro data)))))
+		 (key-description (kmacro-register-macro data)))))
 
 (cl-defmethod register-val-insert ((data kmacro-register))
   (insert (format-kbd-macro (kmacro-register-macro data))))