1 files changed, 11 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/Annotation.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/Annotation.scala
index 5881001f..2e361833 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/Annotation.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/Annotation.scala
@@ -3,19 +3,26 @@
 package firrtl
 package annotations
 
-import firrtl.ir._
-
 case class AnnotationException(message: String) extends Exception(message)
 
 final case class Annotation(target: Named, transform: Class[_ <: Transform], value: String) {
   val targetString: String = target.serialize
   val transformClass: String = transform.getName
-  def serialize: String = this.toString
+
+  /**
+    * This serialize is basically a pretty printer, actual serialization is handled by
+    * AnnotationYamlProtocol
+    * @return a nicer string than the raw case class default
+    */
+  def serialize: String = {
+    s"Annotation(${target.serialize},${transform.getCanonicalName},$value)"
+  }
+
   def update(tos: Seq[Named]): Seq[Annotation] = {
     check(target, tos, this)
     propagate(target, tos, duplicate)
   }
   def propagate(from: Named, tos: Seq[Named], dup: Named=>Annotation): Seq[Annotation] = tos.map(dup(_))
   def check(from: Named, tos: Seq[Named], which: Annotation): Unit = {}
-  def duplicate(n: Named) = new Annotation(n, transform, value)
+  def duplicate(n: Named) = Annotation(n, transform, value)
 }