diff --git a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scribblings/scribble/text.scrbl b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scribblings/scribble/text.scrbl
index 546ac975..2f59871b 100644
--- a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scribblings/scribble/text.scrbl
+++ b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-doc/scribblings/scribble/text.scrbl
@@ -1316,7 +1316,10 @@ characters.}
 A value that outputs as the @tech{current indentation} plus @tech{current prefix}.}
 
 
-@defproc[(with-writer [writer (or/c (string? output-port? . -> . any/c) #f)]
+@defproc[(with-writer [writer (or/c (->* (string? output-port?) 
+                                         (exact-nonnegative-integer?)
+                                         any/c)
+                                    #f)]
                       [v outputable/c] ...)
          outputable/c]{
 
diff --git a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-text-lib/scribble/text/output.rkt b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-text-lib/scribble/text/output.rkt
index f01646d7..b1519341 100644
--- a/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-text-lib/scribble/text/output.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/scribble-pkgs/scribble-text-lib/scribble/text/output.rkt
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@
 (define/provide-special (restore-prefix))
 (define/provide-special (add-prefix [pfx (or/c string? exact-nonnegative-integer?)]))
 (define/provide-special (set-prefix [pfx (or/c string? exact-nonnegative-integer?)]))
-(define/provide-special (with-writer [writer (or/c #f (string? output-port? . -> . any/c))]))
+(define/provide-special (with-writer [writer (or/c #f (->* (string? output-port?) (exact-nonnegative-integer?) any/c))]))
 #; ; no need for this hack yet
 (define/provide-special (with-writer-change writer))