diff --git a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_engine.rb b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_engine.rb
index bab1f6acd..17edb9e2e 100644
--- a/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_engine.rb
+++ b/src/drc/drc/built-in-macros/_drc_engine.rb
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ module DRC
 
     end
 
+    # avoids lengthy error messages
+    def inspect
+      "DRCEngine(...)"
+    end
+
     # for testing
     def force_gc(f)
       @force_gc = f
diff --git a/src/lvs/lvs/built-in-macros/_lvs_engine.rb b/src/lvs/lvs/built-in-macros/_lvs_engine.rb
index ae3807625..2465c2ca7 100644
--- a/src/lvs/lvs/built-in-macros/_lvs_engine.rb
+++ b/src/lvs/lvs/built-in-macros/_lvs_engine.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ module LVS
       super
     end
 
+    # avoids lengthy error messages
+    def inspect
+      "LVSEngine(...)"
+    end
+
     # %LVS%
     # @name netter
     # @brief Creates a new netter object