diff --git a/tractor/_portal.py b/tractor/_portal.py
index f392865..e25a6c7 100644
--- a/tractor/_portal.py
+++ b/tractor/_portal.py
@@ -254,11 +254,11 @@ class Portal:
             return False
 
         reminfo: str = (
-            f'`Portal.cancel_actor()` => {self.channel.uid}\n'
-            f' |_{chan}\n'
+            f'Portal.cancel_actor() => {self.channel.uid}\n'
+            f'|_{chan}\n'
         )
         log.cancel(
-            f'Sending runtime `.cancel()` request to peer\n\n'
+            f'Requesting runtime cancel for peer\n\n'
             f'{reminfo}'
         )
 
diff --git a/tractor/_streaming.py b/tractor/_streaming.py
index 764b7c1..dd4cd0e 100644
--- a/tractor/_streaming.py
+++ b/tractor/_streaming.py
@@ -364,14 +364,10 @@ class MsgStream(trio.abc.Channel):
 
         if not self._eoc:
             message: str = (
-                f'Context stream closed by {self._ctx.side!r}\n'
+                f'Stream self-closed by {self._ctx.side!r}-side before EoC\n'
                 f'|_{self}\n'
             )
-            log.cancel(
-                'Stream self-closed before receiving EoC\n\n'
-                +
-                message
-            )
+            log.cancel(message)
             self._eoc = trio.EndOfChannel(message)
 
         # ?XXX WAIT, why do we not close the local mem chan `._rx_chan` XXX?