diff --git a/src/goto-symex/symex_target_equation.cpp b/src/goto-symex/symex_target_equation.cpp
index deedb3a1f2..3a6509b031 100644
--- a/src/goto-symex/symex_target_equation.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-symex/symex_target_equation.cpp
@@ -410,9 +410,8 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_assignments(
       decision_procedure.conditional_output(
         decision_procedure.debug(),
         [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
-          std::ostringstream oss;
-          step.output(oss);
-          mstream << oss.str() << messaget::eom;
+          step.output(mstream);
+          mstream << messaget::eom;
         });
 
       decision_procedure.set_to_true(step.cond_expr);
@@ -459,9 +458,8 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_guards(
       prop_conv.conditional_output(
         prop_conv.debug(),
         [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
-          std::ostringstream oss;
-          step.output(oss);
-          mstream << oss.str() << messaget::eom;
+          step.output(mstream);
+          mstream << messaget::eom;
         });
 
       try
@@ -494,9 +492,8 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_assumptions(
         prop_conv.conditional_output(
           prop_conv.debug(),
           [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
-            std::ostringstream oss;
-            step.output(oss);
-            mstream << oss.str() << messaget::eom;
+            step.output(mstream);
+            mstream << messaget::eom;
           });
 
         try
@@ -530,9 +527,8 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_goto_instructions(
         prop_conv.conditional_output(
           prop_conv.debug(),
           [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
-            std::ostringstream oss;
-            step.output(oss);
-            mstream << oss.str() << messaget::eom;
+            step.output(mstream);
+            mstream << messaget::eom;
           });
 
         try
@@ -565,9 +561,8 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_constraints(
         decision_procedure.conditional_output(
           decision_procedure.debug(),
           [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
-            std::ostringstream oss;
-            step.output(oss);
-            mstream << oss.str() << messaget::eom;
+            step.output(mstream);
+            mstream << messaget::eom;
           });
 
         try
@@ -626,6 +621,13 @@ void symex_target_equationt::convert_assertions(
   {
     if(step.is_assert())
     {
+      prop_conv.conditional_output(
+        prop_conv.debug(),
+        [&step](messaget::mstreamt &mstream) {
+          step.output(mstream);
+          mstream << messaget::eom;
+        });
+
       implies_exprt implication(
         assumption,
         step.cond_expr);