diff --git a/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper-rt.rkt b/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper-rt.rkt
index caa33bea21..e3f285e9a9 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper-rt.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper-rt.rkt
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
       [(string? e) 
        (values line col (+ col (string-length e)))]
       [(symbol? e)
-       (values line col (+ col (string-length (symbol->string e))))]
+       (values line col (+ col (string-length (format "~s" e))))]
       [(not e) (values line col col)]
       [else 
        (let loop ([lws e]
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/core-layout-test.rkt b/collects/redex/tests/core-layout-test.rkt
index 62de26f24d..6e392f3e4f 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/core-layout-test.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/core-layout-test.rkt
@@ -54,6 +54,25 @@
                              (make-pict-token 0 1 'pict)
                              (make-pict-token 1 0 'pict)))))
 
+(test (replace-pict-tokens
+       (build-lines
+        '(|+1|)
+        (normalize-lw
+         (to-lw
+          ,(term
+            (|+1| x))))))
+      (list (make-line 0
+                       (list (make-spacer-token 0 2)
+                             (make-string-token 2 1 "(" 'roman)
+                             (make-string-token 3 4 "+1" '(italic . roman))
+                             (make-string-token 7 1 " " 'roman)
+                             (make-string-token 8 1 "x" 'swiss)
+                             (make-string-token 9 1 ")" 'roman)))
+            (make-line 0
+                       (list (make-string-token 0 0 "" 'roman) 
+                             (make-pict-token 0 1 'pict)
+                             (make-pict-token 1 0 'pict)))))
+
 (test (replace-pict-tokens
        (build-lines
         '()