diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9313222..9f847eb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ Returns an `obj` of the form
 
 ### `toPrint()`
 
-Alias for `.toJSON()`.
+Returns the Peer ID as a printable string.
+
+Example: `<peer.ID xxxxxx>`
 
 ### `isEqual(id)`
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 87145c6..a9e7010 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -67,9 +67,19 @@ class PeerId {
     }
   }
 
-  // pretty print
   toPrint () {
-    return this.toJSON()
+    let pid = this.toB58String()
+    // All sha256 nodes start with Qm
+    // We can skip the Qm to make the peer.ID more useful
+    if (pid.startsWith('Qm')) {
+      pid = pid.slice(2)
+    }
+    let maxRunes = 6
+    if (pid.length < maxRunes) {
+      maxRunes = pid.length
+    }
+
+    return '<peer.ID ' + pid.substr(0, maxRunes) + '>'
   }
 
   // return the jsonified version of the key, matching the formatting
diff --git a/test/peer-id.spec.js b/test/peer-id.spec.js
index 57fdcd7..5d04c92 100644
--- a/test/peer-id.spec.js
+++ b/test/peer-id.spec.js
@@ -136,9 +136,10 @@ describe('PeerId', () => {
   it('Pretty printing', (done) => {
     PeerId.create(testOpts, (err, id1) => {
       expect(err).to.not.exist()
-      PeerId.createFromPrivKey(id1.toPrint().privKey, (err, id2) => {
+      PeerId.createFromPrivKey(id1.toJSON().privKey, (err, id2) => {
         expect(err).to.not.exist()
         expect(id1.toPrint()).to.be.eql(id2.toPrint())
+        expect(id1.toPrint()).to.equal('<peer.ID ' + id1.toB58String().substr(2, 6) + '>')
         done()
       })
     })