diff --git a/collects/scribblings/reference/reader-example.ss b/collects/scribblings/reference/reader-example.ss
index 62ad950f07..05be75aa9d 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/reference/reader-example.ss
+++ b/collects/scribblings/reference/reader-example.ss
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                                                      [(pair? v) `(cons ,(loop (car v)) ,(loop (cdr v)))]
                                                      [(bytes? v) `(bytes ,@(map loop (bytes->list v)))]
                                                      [(char? v) `(integer->char ,(char->integer v))]
-                                                     [(keyword? v) `(string->keyword ,(format "~a" v))]
+                                                     [(keyword? v) `(string->keyword ,(keyword->string v))]
                                                      [(or (regexp? v)
                                                           (byte-regexp? v))
                                                       `(,(cond