diff --git a/libc/malloc/_malloc.h b/libc/malloc/_malloc.h
index 2c20fb854..ffdfd85c4 100644
--- a/libc/malloc/_malloc.h
+++ b/libc/malloc/_malloc.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ extern int __debug_level;
 #define dprintf(...)
 #define debug(str,ptr)
 #elif VERBOSE == 1
-#define dprintf             __dprintf
+#define dprintf(...)  do { if (__debug_level) __dprintf(__VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
 #define debug(str,ptr)
 #else
 #define dprintf(...)
diff --git a/libc/malloc/dprintf.c b/libc/malloc/dprintf.c
index 9520be41f..3beb8b45e 100644
--- a/libc/malloc/dprintf.c
+++ b/libc/malloc/dprintf.c
@@ -1,30 +1,39 @@
-#if VERBOSE
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
-
-int __debug_level = 1;
+#include <paths.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
 
 /*
- * Very tiny printf to stderr.
+ * Very tiny printf to console.
  * Supports:
  *  %u  unsigned int
+ *  %p  unsigned int (displays as unsigned int!)
+ *  %d  int (positive numbers only)
+ *  %s  char *
  */
 int __dprintf(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-    unsigned int n = 0;
+    unsigned int n;
     char *p;
     va_list va;
-    char b[128];
+    char b[80];
+    static int fd = -1;
 
-    if (__debug_level == 0)
-        return 0;
+    if (fd < 0)
+        fd = open(_PATH_CONSOLE, O_WRONLY);
     va_start(va, fmt);
-    for (; *fmt; fmt++) {
+    for (n = 0; *fmt; fmt++) {
         if (*fmt == '%') {
             switch (*++fmt) {
+            case 's':
+                p = va_arg(va, char *);
+                goto outstr;
+            case 'p':   /* displays as unsigned int! */
+            case 'd':
             case 'u':
                 p = uitoa(va_arg(va, unsigned int));
+        outstr:
                 while (*p && n < sizeof(b))
                     b[n++] = *p++;
                 break;
@@ -36,6 +45,5 @@ int __dprintf(const char *fmt, ...)
         }
     }
     va_end(va);
-    return write(2, b, n);
+    return write(fd, b, n);
 }
-#endif
diff --git a/libc/malloc/malloc.c b/libc/malloc/malloc.c
index 7bf128f96..6d79938ae 100644
--- a/libc/malloc/malloc.c
+++ b/libc/malloc/malloc.c
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
 #define MAX_INT ((int)(((unsigned)-1)>>1))
 
+#if VERBOSE == 1
+int __debug_level = 1;
+#endif
+
 /*
  * The chunk_list pointer is either NULL or points to a chunk in a
  * circular list of all the free blocks in memory
@@ -192,9 +196,7 @@ malloc(size_t size)
 
 #if VERBOSE == 1
    if (chunk_list == 0)
-   {
         sysctl(CTL_GET, "kern.debug", &__debug_level);
-   }
 #endif
 
    errno = 0;
diff --git a/libc/malloc/v7malloc.c b/libc/malloc/v7malloc.c
index 4f4e17fab..a7442f4d8 100644
--- a/libc/malloc/v7malloc.c
+++ b/libc/malloc/v7malloc.c
@@ -57,14 +57,9 @@ static  union store __wcnear *alloct;   /*arena top*/
 static  union store __wcnear *allocx;   /*for benefit of realloc*/
 
 #if DEBUG
-#include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <paths.h>
-#include <fcntl.h>
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #define ASSERT(p)   if(!(p))malloc_assert_fail(#p);else {}
-#define errmsg(str) write(STDERR_FILENO, str, sizeof(str) - 1)
-#define errstr(str) write(STDERR_FILENO, str, strlen(str))
 static void malloc_assert_fail(char *s);
 static int malloc_check_heap(void);
 #else
@@ -72,25 +67,11 @@ static int malloc_check_heap(void);
 #endif
 
 #if DEBUG > 1
-#define debug(...)  do { if (debug_level > 1) fprintf(dbgout, __VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
-#define debug2(...) do { if (debug_level > 2) fprintf(dbgout, __VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
+#define debug(...)  do { if (debug_level > 1) __dprintf(__VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
+#define debug2(...) do { if (debug_level > 2) __dprintf(__VA_ARGS__); } while (0)
+int __dprintf(const char *fmt, ...);
 static void malloc_show_heap(void);
 static int debug_level = DEBUG;
-static unsigned char bufdbg[64];
-static FILE  dbgout[1] =
-{
-   {
-    bufdbg,
-    bufdbg,
-    bufdbg,
-    bufdbg,
-    bufdbg + sizeof(bufdbg),
-    -1,
-    _IONBF | __MODE_WRITE | __MODE_IOTRAN,
-    { 0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 },
-    0
-   }
-};
 #else
 #define debug(...)
 #define malloc_show_heap()
@@ -102,10 +83,6 @@ malloc(size_t nbytes)
     union store __wcnear *p, __wcnear *q;
     unsigned int nw, temp;
 
-#if DEBUG > 1
-    if (dbgout->fd < 0)
-        dbgout->fd = open(_PATH_CONSOLE, O_WRONLY);
-#endif
 #if DEBUG == 2
     sysctl(CTL_GET, "malloc.debug", &debug_level);
 #endif
@@ -277,8 +254,7 @@ realloc(void *ptr, size_t nbytes)
 #if DEBUG
 static void malloc_assert_fail(char *s)
 {
-    errmsg("malloc assert fail: ");
-    errstr(s);
+    __dprintf("malloc assert fail: %s\n", s);
     abort();
 }