diff --git a/collects/redex/private/bitmap-test.ss b/collects/redex/private/bitmap-test.ss
index 6607ed5752..45de01be54 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/bitmap-test.ss
+++ b/collects/redex/private/bitmap-test.ss
@@ -92,13 +92,22 @@
         (render-metafunction Name))
       "metafunction-Name-vertical.png")
 
+;; makes sure that there is no overlap inside or across metafunction calls  
+;; or when there are unquotes involved
 (define-metafunction lang
   [(multi-arg a
               b
               c)
-   (multi-arg a 
-              b 
-              c)])
+   ((multi-arg a 
+               b 
+               c)
+    (multi-arg a 
+               b 
+               c))]
+  [(multi-arg unquote-test)
+   (,@(term (multi-arg with-unquote))
+    ,@(term (multi-arg with-unquote))
+    ,@(term (multi-arg with-unquote)))])
 
 (test (render-metafunction multi-arg) "metafunction-multi-arg.png")
 
diff --git a/collects/redex/private/core-layout.ss b/collects/redex/private/core-layout.ss
index fb9cafa273..b6cb0df392 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/core-layout.ss
+++ b/collects/redex/private/core-layout.ss
@@ -257,7 +257,8 @@
                             (car l))]))]))
     
   (define (rewrite-metafunction-app lst line line-span col col-span something-or-other)
-    (list* 'spring
+    (list* (build-lw "" line 0 col 0)
+           'spring
            (just-after (hbl-append 
                         (metafunction-text (symbol->string (lw-e (cadr lst))))
                         (open-white-square-bracket))
diff --git a/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper.ss b/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper.ss
index 9111525460..fefa83e225 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper.ss
+++ b/collects/redex/private/loc-wrapper.ss
@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@
            #`(init-loc-wrapper 
               (list (init-loc-wrapper "" #,(syntax-line stx) #,(syntax-column stx) #,quoted?)
                     'spring
-                    #,(process-arg (cadr (syntax->list stx)) (+ quote-depth 1))
-                    'spring)
+                    #,(process-arg (cadr (syntax->list stx)) (+ quote-depth 1)))
               #,(syntax-line stx) 
               #,(syntax-column stx)
               #,quoted?)