diff --git a/tractor/_ipc.py b/tractor/_ipc.py
index a1cb0359..83186147 100644
--- a/tractor/_ipc.py
+++ b/tractor/_ipc.py
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream(MsgTransport):
                 raise TransportClosed(
                     message=(
                         f'IPC transport already closed by peer\n'
-                        f'x)> {type(trans_err)}\n'
-                        f' |_{self}\n'
+                        f'x]> {type(trans_err)}\n'
+                        f'  |_{self}\n'
                     ),
                     loglevel=loglevel,
                 ) from trans_err
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream(MsgTransport):
                 raise TransportClosed(
                     message=(
                         f'IPC transport already manually closed locally?\n'
-                        f'x)> {type(closure_err)} \n'
-                        f' |_{self}\n'
+                        f'x]> {type(closure_err)} \n'
+                        f'  |_{self}\n'
                     ),
                     loglevel='error',
                     raise_on_report=(
@@ -289,8 +289,8 @@ class MsgpackTCPStream(MsgTransport):
                 raise TransportClosed(
                     message=(
                         f'IPC transport already gracefully closed\n'
-                        f')>\n'
-                        f'|_{self}\n'
+                        f']>\n'
+                        f' |_{self}\n'
                     ),
                     loglevel='transport',
                     # cause=???  # handy or no?
diff --git a/tractor/_rpc.py b/tractor/_rpc.py
index 9e50c5de..086cfff6 100644
--- a/tractor/_rpc.py
+++ b/tractor/_rpc.py
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ async def try_ship_error_to_remote(
             log.critical(
                 'IPC transport failure -> '
                 f'failed to ship error to {remote_descr}!\n\n'
-                f'{type(msg)!r}[{msg.boxed_type}] X=> {channel.uid}\n'
+                f'{type(msg)!r}[{msg.boxed_type_str}] X=> {channel.uid}\n'
                 f'\n'
                 # TODO: use `.msg.preetty_struct` for this!
                 f'{msg}\n'
diff --git a/tractor/_state.py b/tractor/_state.py
index a87ad36b..79c8bdea 100644
--- a/tractor/_state.py
+++ b/tractor/_state.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ def is_main_process() -> bool:
     return mp.current_process().name == 'MainProcess'
 
 
+# TODO, more verby name?
 def debug_mode() -> bool:
     '''
     Bool determining if "debug mode" is on which enables
diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
index bc87164e..58e9b069 100644
--- a/tractor/_streaming.py
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ class MsgStream(trio.abc.Channel):
                 f'Stream self-closed by {self._ctx.side!r}-side before EoC\n'
                 # } bc a stream is a "scope"/msging-phase inside an IPC
                 f'x}}>\n'
-                f'|_{self}\n'
+                f'  |_{self}\n'
             )
             log.cancel(message)
             self._eoc = trio.EndOfChannel(message)