diff --git a/quote.c b/quote.c
index 7f2aa6faa4..c8ba6b397a 100644
--- a/quote.c
+++ b/quote.c
@@ -84,12 +84,28 @@ void sq_quote_argv(struct strbuf *dst, const char **argv)
 	}
 }
 
+/*
+ * Legacy function to append each argv value, quoted as necessasry,
+ * with whitespace before each value.  This results in a leading
+ * space in the result.
+ */
 void sq_quote_argv_pretty(struct strbuf *dst, const char **argv)
+{
+	if (argv[0])
+		strbuf_addch(dst, ' ');
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(dst, argv);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Append each argv value, quoted as necessary, with whitespace between them.
+ */
+void sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(struct strbuf *dst, const char **argv)
 {
 	int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; argv[i]; i++) {
-		strbuf_addch(dst, ' ');
+		if (i > 0)
+			strbuf_addch(dst, ' ');
 		sq_quote_buf_pretty(dst, argv[i]);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/quote.h b/quote.h
index fb08dc085c..ca8ee3144a 100644
--- a/quote.h
+++ b/quote.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ void sq_quotef(struct strbuf *, const char *fmt, ...);
  */
 void sq_quote_buf_pretty(struct strbuf *, const char *src);
 void sq_quote_argv_pretty(struct strbuf *, const char **argv);
+void sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(struct strbuf *dst, const char **argv);
 
 /* This unwraps what sq_quote() produces in place, but returns
  * NULL if the input does not look like what sq_quote would have
diff --git a/t/t0211-trace2-perf.sh b/t/t0211-trace2-perf.sh
index 2c3ad6e8c1..6ee8ee3b67 100755
--- a/t/t0211-trace2-perf.sh
+++ b/t/t0211-trace2-perf.sh
@@ -130,11 +130,11 @@ test_expect_success 'perf stream, child processes' '
 		d0|main|version|||||$V
 		d0|main|start||_T_ABS_|||_EXE_ trace2 004child test-tool trace2 004child test-tool trace2 001return 0
 		d0|main|cmd_name|||||trace2 (trace2)
-		d0|main|child_start||_T_ABS_|||[ch0] class:? argv: test-tool trace2 004child test-tool trace2 001return 0
+		d0|main|child_start||_T_ABS_|||[ch0] class:? argv:[test-tool trace2 004child test-tool trace2 001return 0]
 		d1|main|version|||||$V
 		d1|main|start||_T_ABS_|||_EXE_ trace2 004child test-tool trace2 001return 0
 		d1|main|cmd_name|||||trace2 (trace2/trace2)
-		d1|main|child_start||_T_ABS_|||[ch0] class:? argv: test-tool trace2 001return 0
+		d1|main|child_start||_T_ABS_|||[ch0] class:? argv:[test-tool trace2 001return 0]
 		d2|main|version|||||$V
 		d2|main|start||_T_ABS_|||_EXE_ trace2 001return 0
 		d2|main|cmd_name|||||trace2 (trace2/trace2/trace2)
diff --git a/trace2/tr2_tgt_event.c b/trace2/tr2_tgt_event.c
index c2852d1bd2..9bcac20d1b 100644
--- a/trace2/tr2_tgt_event.c
+++ b/trace2/tr2_tgt_event.c
@@ -205,11 +205,6 @@ static void maybe_add_string_va(struct json_writer *jw, const char *field_name,
 		strbuf_release(&buf);
 		return;
 	}
-
-	if (fmt && *fmt) {
-		jw_object_string(jw, field_name, fmt);
-		return;
-	}
 }
 
 static void fn_error_va_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *fmt,
diff --git a/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c b/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
index 00b116d797..438ed05a40 100644
--- a/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
+++ b/trace2/tr2_tgt_normal.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ static void fn_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "start ");
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
@@ -135,11 +135,6 @@ static void maybe_append_string_va(struct strbuf *buf, const char *fmt,
 		va_end(copy_ap);
 		return;
 	}
-
-	if (fmt && *fmt) {
-		strbuf_addstr(buf, fmt);
-		return;
-	}
 }
 
 static void fn_error_va_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *fmt,
@@ -147,8 +142,11 @@ static void fn_error_va_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *fmt,
 {
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "error ");
-	maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "error");
+	if (fmt && *fmt) {
+		strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+		maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+	}
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
@@ -188,8 +186,8 @@ static void fn_alias_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *alias,
 {
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias %s ->", alias);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias %s -> ", alias);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
@@ -200,12 +198,12 @@ static void fn_child_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 {
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "child_start[%d] ", cmd->trace2_child_id);
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "child_start[%d]", cmd->trace2_child_id);
 
 	if (cmd->dir) {
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " cd");
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " cd ");
 		sq_quote_buf_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->dir);
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "; ");
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, ";");
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -213,9 +211,10 @@ static void fn_child_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	 * See trace_add_env() in run-command.c as used by original trace.c
 	 */
 
+	strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
 	if (cmd->git_cmd)
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "git");
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "git ");
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
 
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
@@ -240,9 +239,11 @@ static void fn_exec_fl(const char *file, int line, uint64_t us_elapsed_absolute,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "exec[%d] ", exec_id);
-	if (exe)
+	if (exe) {
 		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, exe);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+		strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+	}
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 	normal_io_write_fl(file, line, &buf_payload);
 	strbuf_release(&buf_payload);
 }
diff --git a/trace2/tr2_tgt_perf.c b/trace2/tr2_tgt_perf.c
index ea0cbbe13e..fd979db4ad 100644
--- a/trace2/tr2_tgt_perf.c
+++ b/trace2/tr2_tgt_perf.c
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ static struct tr2_dst tr2dst_perf = { TR2_SYSENV_PERF, 0, 0, 0 };
  */
 static int tr2env_perf_be_brief;
 
-#define TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH (50)
+#define TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH (28)
 #define TR2FMT_PERF_MAX_EVENT_NAME (12)
-#define TR2FMT_PERF_REPO_WIDTH (4)
-#define TR2FMT_PERF_CATEGORY_WIDTH (10)
+#define TR2FMT_PERF_REPO_WIDTH (3)
+#define TR2FMT_PERF_CATEGORY_WIDTH (12)
 
 #define TR2_DOTS_BUFFER_SIZE (100)
 #define TR2_INDENT (2)
@@ -79,17 +79,36 @@ static void perf_fmt_prepare(const char *event_name,
 
 	if (!tr2env_perf_be_brief) {
 		struct tr2_tbuf tb_now;
+		size_t fl_end_col;
 
 		tr2_tbuf_local_time(&tb_now);
 		strbuf_addstr(buf, tb_now.buf);
 		strbuf_addch(buf, ' ');
 
-		if (file && *file)
-			strbuf_addf(buf, "%s:%d ", file, line);
-		while (buf->len < TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH)
+		fl_end_col = buf->len + TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH;
+
+		if (file && *file) {
+			struct strbuf buf_fl = STRBUF_INIT;
+
+			strbuf_addf(&buf_fl, "%s:%d", file, line);
+
+			if (buf_fl.len <= TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH)
+				strbuf_addbuf(buf, &buf_fl);
+			else {
+				size_t avail = TR2FMT_PERF_FL_WIDTH - 3;
+				strbuf_addstr(buf, "...");
+				strbuf_add(buf,
+					   &buf_fl.buf[buf_fl.len - avail],
+					   avail);
+			}
+
+			strbuf_release(&buf_fl);
+		}
+
+		while (buf->len < fl_end_col)
 			strbuf_addch(buf, ' ');
 
-		strbuf_addstr(buf, "| ");
+		strbuf_addstr(buf, " | ");
 	}
 
 	strbuf_addf(buf, "d%d | ", tr2_sid_depth());
@@ -102,7 +121,7 @@ static void perf_fmt_prepare(const char *event_name,
 		strbuf_addf(buf, "r%d ", repo->trace2_repo_id);
 	while (buf->len < len)
 		strbuf_addch(buf, ' ');
-	strbuf_addstr(buf, "| ");
+	strbuf_addstr(buf, " | ");
 
 	if (p_us_elapsed_absolute)
 		strbuf_addf(buf, "%9.6f | ",
@@ -116,8 +135,8 @@ static void perf_fmt_prepare(const char *event_name,
 	else
 		strbuf_addf(buf, "%9s | ", " ");
 
-	strbuf_addf(buf, "%-*s | ", TR2FMT_PERF_CATEGORY_WIDTH,
-		    (category ? category : ""));
+	strbuf_addf(buf, "%-*.*s | ", TR2FMT_PERF_CATEGORY_WIDTH,
+		    TR2FMT_PERF_CATEGORY_WIDTH, (category ? category : ""));
 
 	if (ctx->nr_open_regions > 0) {
 		int len_indent = TR2_INDENT_LENGTH(ctx);
@@ -165,7 +184,7 @@ static void fn_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	const char *event_name = "start";
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, NULL, &us_elapsed_absolute,
 			 NULL, NULL, &buf_payload);
@@ -220,11 +239,6 @@ static void maybe_append_string_va(struct strbuf *buf, const char *fmt,
 		va_end(copy_ap);
 		return;
 	}
-
-	if (fmt && *fmt) {
-		strbuf_addstr(buf, fmt);
-		return;
-	}
 }
 
 static void fn_error_va_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *fmt,
@@ -285,8 +299,9 @@ static void fn_alias_fl(const char *file, int line, const char *alias,
 	const char *event_name = "alias";
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias:%s argv:", alias);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "alias:%s argv:[", alias);
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ']');
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
 			 &buf_payload);
@@ -315,10 +330,14 @@ static void fn_child_start_fl(const char *file, int line,
 		sq_quote_buf_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->dir);
 	}
 
-	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " argv:");
-	if (cmd->git_cmd)
-		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " git");
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
+	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, " argv:[");
+	if (cmd->git_cmd) {
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "git");
+		if (cmd->argv[0])
+			strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+	}
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, cmd->argv);
+	strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ']');
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, NULL, &us_elapsed_absolute,
 			 NULL, NULL, &buf_payload);
@@ -369,10 +388,14 @@ static void fn_exec_fl(const char *file, int line, uint64_t us_elapsed_absolute,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "id:%d ", exec_id);
-	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "argv:");
-	if (exe)
-		strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, " %s", exe);
-	sq_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, "argv:[");
+	if (exe) {
+		strbuf_addstr(&buf_payload, exe);
+		if (argv[0])
+			strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+	}
+	sq_append_quote_argv_pretty(&buf_payload, argv);
+	strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ']');
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, NULL, &us_elapsed_absolute,
 			 NULL, NULL, &buf_payload);
@@ -433,8 +456,11 @@ static void fn_region_enter_printf_va_fl(const char *file, int line,
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	if (label)
-		strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "label:%s ", label);
-	maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+		strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "label:%s", label);
+	if (fmt && *fmt) {
+		strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ');
+		maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+	}
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, repo, &us_elapsed_absolute,
 			 NULL, category, &buf_payload);
@@ -450,8 +476,11 @@ static void fn_region_leave_printf_va_fl(
 	struct strbuf buf_payload = STRBUF_INIT;
 
 	if (label)
-		strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "label:%s ", label);
-	maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+		strbuf_addf(&buf_payload, "label:%s", label);
+	if (fmt && *fmt) {
+		strbuf_addch(&buf_payload, ' ' );
+		maybe_append_string_va(&buf_payload, fmt, ap);
+	}
 
 	perf_io_write_fl(file, line, event_name, repo, &us_elapsed_absolute,
 			 &us_elapsed_region, category, &buf_payload);