diff --git a/pkg/interp/repl.jq b/pkg/interp/repl.jq
index 3360caf37..d11dcfe0d 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/repl.jq
+++ b/pkg/interp/repl.jq
@@ -105,7 +105,9 @@ def _prompt:
   def _type_name_error:
     ( . as $c
     | try
-        ( _display_name
+        ( ( _display_name
+          | if . != "" then " " + . end
+          )
         , if ._error then "!" else empty end
         )
       catch ($c | type)
diff --git a/pkg/interp/testdata/repl.fqtest b/pkg/interp/testdata/repl.fqtest
index 743f99702..53dadcd1e 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/testdata/repl.fqtest
+++ b/pkg/interp/testdata/repl.fqtest
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ $ fq -i '[1,2,3]'
 [1,2,3]
 > [number, ...][3]> ^D
 [number, ...][3]> ^D
+$ fq -i -d mp3 '.headers[0]' /test.mp3
+.headers[0] id3v2> ^D
+$ fq -i -d mp3 . /test.mp3
+ mp3> .headers[0] | repl
+> .headers[0] id3v2> ^D
+ mp3> ^D
 $ fq -n repl
 exitcode: 5
 stderr: