diff --git a/src/kernel/expr.cpp b/src/kernel/expr.cpp
index 7701f53e35..6767bb6b36 100644
--- a/src/kernel/expr.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/expr.cpp
@@ -195,37 +195,38 @@ lean::format pp_aux(lean::expr const & a) {
         return format(const_name(a));
     case expr_kind::App:
     {
-        format r("(");
+        format r;
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_args(a); i++) {
             if (i > 0) r += format(" ");
             r += pp_aux(arg(a, i));
         }
-        r += format(")");
-        return r;
+        return paren(r);
     }
     case expr_kind::Lambda:
-        return format{format("(\u03BB ("), /* Use unicode lambda */
-                format(abst_name(a)),
-                format(" : "),
-                pp_aux(abst_type(a)),
-                format(") "),
-                pp_aux(abst_body(a)),
-                format(")")};
+        return paren(format{
+                       highlight(format("\u03BB "), format::format_color::PINK), /* Use unicode lambda */
+                       paren(format{
+                               format(abst_name(a)),
+                               format(" : "),
+                               pp_aux(abst_type(a))}),
+                       format(" "),
+                       pp_aux(abst_body(a))});
     case expr_kind::Pi:
-        return format{format("(\u03A0 ("), /* Use unicode Pi */
-                format(abst_name(a)),
-                format(" : "),
-                pp_aux(abst_type(a)),
-                format(") "),
-                pp_aux(abst_body(a)),
-                format(")")};
+        return paren(format{
+                       highlight(format("\u03A0 "), format::format_color::ORANGE), /* Use unicode lambda */
+                       paren(format{
+                               format(abst_name(a)),
+                               format(" : "),
+                               pp_aux(abst_type(a))}),
+                       format(" "),
+                       pp_aux(abst_body(a))});
     case expr_kind::Type:
     {
         std::stringstream ss;
         ss << ty_level(a);
-        return format{format("(Type "),
-                format(ss.str()),
-                format(")")};
+
+        return paren(format{format("Type "),
+                            format(ss.str())});
     }
     case expr_kind::Numeral:
         return format(num_value(a));
diff --git a/src/tests/kernel/expr.cpp b/src/tests/kernel/expr.cpp
index 75160743c1..af0eaedda3 100644
--- a/src/tests/kernel/expr.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/kernel/expr.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,12 @@ void tst5() {
         expr r2 = max_sharing(r1);
         std::cout << "count(r1): " << count(r1) << "\n";
         std::cout << "count(r2): " << count(r2) << "\n";
+        std::cout << "r1 = " << std::endl;
+        pp(r1);
+        std::cout << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "r2 = " << std::endl;
+        pp(r2);
+        std::cout << std::endl;
         lean_assert(r1 == r2);
     }
     {
@@ -251,6 +257,10 @@ void tst8() {
     r = lambda("y", p, app(lambda("x", p, var(0)), var(1)));
     lean_assert(!closed(r));
     lean_assert(closed(lambda("z", p, r)));
+
+    pp(lambda("y", p, app(lambda("x", p, y), var(0)))); std::cout << std::endl;
+    pp(pi("x", p, f(f(f(a))))); std::cout << std::endl;
+
 }
 
 void tst9() {