diff --git a/snac.c b/snac.c
index 011b121..2dd5e9d 100644
--- a/snac.c
+++ b/snac.c
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ void srv_debug(int level, d_char *str)
 {
     xs *msg = str;
 
+    if (xs_str_in(str, srv_basedir) != -1) {
+        /* replace basedir with ~ */
+        xs *o_str = str;
+        str = xs_replace(o_str, srv_basedir, "~");
+    }
+
     if (dbglevel >= level) {
         xs *tm = xs_local_time("%H:%M:%S");
         fprintf(stderr, "%s %s\n", tm, msg);
@@ -87,6 +93,12 @@ void snac_debug(snac *snac, int level, d_char *str)
     xs *o_str = str;
     d_char *n_str = xs_fmt("[%s] %s", snac->uid, o_str);
 
+    if (xs_str_in(n_str, snac->basedir) != -1) {
+        /* replace long basedir references with ~ */
+        xs *o_str = n_str;
+        n_str = xs_replace(o_str, snac->basedir, "~");
+    }
+
     srv_debug(level, n_str);
 }