diff --git a/src/libexpr/print.cc b/src/libexpr/print.cc
index 6eb321c43..2ee11d9d3 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/print.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/print.cc
@@ -277,13 +277,10 @@ private:
 
     void printAttrs(Value & v, size_t depth)
     {
-        if (seen && !seen->insert(v.attrs).second) {
-            printRepeated();
-            return;
-        }
-
         if (options.force && options.derivationPaths && state.isDerivation(v)) {
             printDerivation(v);
+        } else if (seen && !v.attrs->empty() && !seen->insert(v.attrs).second) {
+            printRepeated();
         } else if (depth < options.maxDepth) {
             increaseIndent();
             output << "{";
diff --git a/tests/unit/libexpr/value/print.cc b/tests/unit/libexpr/value/print.cc
index cdbc8f8f9..1f99b562d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/libexpr/value/print.cc
+++ b/tests/unit/libexpr/value/print.cc
@@ -641,20 +641,24 @@ TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, ansiColorsBlackhole)
 
 TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, ansiColorsAttrsRepeated)
 {
-    BindingsBuilder emptyBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    Value vZero;
+    vZero.mkInt(0);
 
-    Value vEmpty;
-    vEmpty.mkAttrs(emptyBuilder.finish());
+    BindingsBuilder innerBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    innerBuilder.insert(state.symbols.create("x"), &vZero);
+
+    Value vInner;
+    vInner.mkAttrs(innerBuilder.finish());
 
     BindingsBuilder builder(state, state.allocBindings(10));
-    builder.insert(state.symbols.create("a"), &vEmpty);
-    builder.insert(state.symbols.create("b"), &vEmpty);
+    builder.insert(state.symbols.create("a"), &vInner);
+    builder.insert(state.symbols.create("b"), &vInner);
 
     Value vAttrs;
     vAttrs.mkAttrs(builder.finish());
 
     test(vAttrs,
-         "{ a = { }; b = " ANSI_MAGENTA "«repeated»" ANSI_NORMAL "; }",
+         "{ a = { x = " ANSI_CYAN "0" ANSI_NORMAL "; }; b = " ANSI_MAGENTA "«repeated»" ANSI_NORMAL "; }",
          PrintOptions {
              .ansiColors = true
          });
@@ -662,19 +666,23 @@ TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, ansiColorsAttrsRepeated)
 
 TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, ansiColorsListRepeated)
 {
-    BindingsBuilder emptyBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    Value vZero;
+    vZero.mkInt(0);
 
-    Value vEmpty;
-    vEmpty.mkAttrs(emptyBuilder.finish());
+    BindingsBuilder innerBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    innerBuilder.insert(state.symbols.create("x"), &vZero);
+
+    Value vInner;
+    vInner.mkAttrs(innerBuilder.finish());
 
     Value vList;
     state.mkList(vList, 3);
-    vList.bigList.elems[0] = &vEmpty;
-    vList.bigList.elems[1] = &vEmpty;
+    vList.bigList.elems[0] = &vInner;
+    vList.bigList.elems[1] = &vInner;
     vList.bigList.size = 2;
 
     test(vList,
-         "[ { } " ANSI_MAGENTA "«repeated»" ANSI_NORMAL " ]",
+         "[ { x = " ANSI_CYAN "0" ANSI_NORMAL "; } " ANSI_MAGENTA "«repeated»" ANSI_NORMAL " ]",
          PrintOptions {
              .ansiColors = true
          });
@@ -682,20 +690,24 @@ TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, ansiColorsListRepeated)
 
 TEST_F(ValuePrintingTests, listRepeated)
 {
-    BindingsBuilder emptyBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    Value vZero;
+    vZero.mkInt(0);
 
-    Value vEmpty;
-    vEmpty.mkAttrs(emptyBuilder.finish());
+    BindingsBuilder innerBuilder(state, state.allocBindings(1));
+    innerBuilder.insert(state.symbols.create("x"), &vZero);
+
+    Value vInner;
+    vInner.mkAttrs(innerBuilder.finish());
 
     Value vList;
     state.mkList(vList, 3);
-    vList.bigList.elems[0] = &vEmpty;
-    vList.bigList.elems[1] = &vEmpty;
+    vList.bigList.elems[0] = &vInner;
+    vList.bigList.elems[1] = &vInner;
     vList.bigList.size = 2;
 
-    test(vList, "[ { } «repeated» ]", PrintOptions { });
+    test(vList, "[ { x = 0; } «repeated» ]", PrintOptions { });
     test(vList,
-         "[ { } { } ]",
+         "[ { x = 0; } { x = 0; } ]",
          PrintOptions {
              .trackRepeated = false
          });