diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/SimpleIndelROD.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/SimpleIndelROD.java
index 6cb8c7cda..020c9f39b 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/SimpleIndelROD.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/refdata/SimpleIndelROD.java
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ public class SimpleIndelROD extends TabularROD implements Genotype {
 
     public String toString() {
         StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
-        sb.append(getLocation() + "\t" + getFWDAlleles().get(0));
+        sb.append(getLocation().getContig() + "\t" + getLocation().getStart() + "\t");
+        String indel = getFWDAlleles().get(0);
+        sb.append((indel.length()-1) + "\t" + (isInsertion() ? "I" : "D") + "\t" + indel.substring(1));
         return sb.toString();
     }
  }
\ No newline at end of file