diff --git a/library/init/lean/parser/combinators.lean b/library/init/lean/parser/combinators.lean
index c8093afbd3..fa61abb191 100644
--- a/library/init/lean/parser/combinators.lean
+++ b/library/init/lean/parser/combinators.lean
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ variables {α : Type} {m : Type → Type}
 local notation `parser` := m syntax
 variables [monad m] [monad_except (parsec.message syntax) m] [monad_parsec syntax m] [alternative m]
 
-def node' (k : option syntax_node_kind) (rs : list parser) : parser :=
+def node (k : syntax_node_kind) (rs : list parser) : parser :=
 do args ← rs.mfoldl (λ (p : list syntax) r, do
      args ← pure p,
      -- on error, append partial syntax tree to previous successful parses and rethrow
@@ -30,10 +30,9 @@ do args ← rs.mfoldl (λ (p : list syntax) r, do
    ) [],
    pure $ syntax.node ⟨k, args.reverse⟩
 
-@[reducible] def seq : list parser → parser := node' none
-@[reducible] def node (k : syntax_node_kind) : list parser → parser := node' (some k)
+@[reducible] def seq : list parser → parser := node no_kind
 
-instance node'.tokens (k) (rs : list parser) [parser.has_tokens rs] : parser.has_tokens (node' k rs) :=
+instance node.tokens (k) (rs : list parser) [parser.has_tokens rs] : parser.has_tokens (node k rs) :=
 ⟨tokens rs⟩
 
 instance node.view (k) (rs : list parser) [i : has_view α k] : parser.has_view α (node k rs) :=
diff --git a/library/init/lean/parser/syntax.lean b/library/init/lean/parser/syntax.lean
index dac3ae8538..27bebebf05 100644
--- a/library/init/lean/parser/syntax.lean
+++ b/library/init/lean/parser/syntax.lean
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ structure syntax_node_kind :=
 (name : name)
 
 @[pattern] def choice : syntax_node_kind := ⟨`lean.parser.choice⟩
+-- TODO(Sebastian): replace `option syntax_kind` using this special kind
+@[pattern] def no_kind : syntax_node_kind := ⟨`lean.parser.no_kind⟩
 
 /-
 Parsers create `syntax_node`'s with the following property:
@@ -83,8 +85,8 @@ with to_format : syntax → format
 | (node {kind := none, args := args, ..}) :=
   sbracket $ join_sep (to_format_lst args) line
 | stx@(node {kind := some kind, args := args, ..}) :=
-  if kind.name = `lean.parser.ident
-  then to_fmt "`" ++ ident_to_format stx
+  if kind.name = `lean.parser.no_kind then sbracket $ join_sep (to_format_lst args) line
+  else if kind.name = `lean.parser.ident then to_fmt "`" ++ ident_to_format stx
   else let shorter_name := kind.name.replace_prefix `lean.parser name.anonymous
        in paren $ join_sep (to_fmt shorter_name :: to_format_lst args) line
 | missing := "<missing>"