diff --git a/racket/src/io/demo.rkt b/racket/src/io/demo.rkt
index dc88c1dad7..a0e5e5393f 100644
--- a/racket/src/io/demo.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/io/demo.rkt
@@ -153,12 +153,23 @@
       (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
         (error 'no "hi ~s" 10)))
 
-(test "error: format string requires 1 arguments, given 3"
+(test "error: format string requires 1 arguments, given 3; arguments were: 1 2 3"
       (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
         (error 'no "hi ~s" 1 2 3)))
-(test "error: format string requires 2 arguments, given 1"
+(test "error: format string requires 2 arguments, given 1; arguments were: 8"
       (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
         (error 'no "hi ~s ~s" 8)))
+(test "error: format string requires 2 arguments, given 100"
+      (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
+        (apply error 'no "hi ~s ~s" (for/list ([i 100]) i))))
+(test "error: format string requires 2 arguments, given 51"
+      (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
+        (apply error 'no "hi ~s ~s" (for/list ([i 51]) i))))
+(test (apply string-append
+             "error: format string requires 2 arguments, given 50; arguments were:"
+             (for/list ([i 50]) (string-append " " (number->string i))))
+      (with-handlers ([exn:fail? exn-message])
+        (apply error 'no "hi ~s ~s" (for/list ([i 50]) i))))
 
 (define infinite-ones 
   (make-input-port 'ones
diff --git a/racket/src/io/format/printf.rkt b/racket/src/io/format/printf.rkt
index 45e71cc0cc..533e73e1d5 100644
--- a/racket/src/io/format/printf.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/io/format/printf.rkt
@@ -195,5 +195,16 @@
 (define (value->string v)
   ((error-value->string-handler) v (error-print-width)))
 
-(define (arguments->string args)
-  "")
+(define (arguments->string fmt+args)
+  (define args (cdr fmt+args))
+  (if (or (null? args) (<= (length args) 50))
+      (parameterize ([error-print-width
+                      (max 2 (round (/ (error-print-width) (length args))))])
+        (apply string-append
+               "; "
+               "arguments were: "
+               (let loop ([ss (map value->string args)])
+                 (if (or (null? ss) (null? (cdr ss)))
+                     ss
+                     (cons (car ss) (cons " " (loop (cdr ss))))))))
+      ""))