diff --git a/src/go/types/example_test.go b/src/go/types/example_test.go
index 2a2fb3fc59..492127bbab 100644
--- a/src/go/types/example_test.go
+++ b/src/go/types/example_test.go
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ type Celsius float64
 func (c Celsius) String() string { return fmt.Sprintf("%g°C", c) }
 func FToC(f float64) Celsius { return Celsius(f - 32 / 9 * 5) }
 const Boiling Celsius = 100
+func Unused() { {}; {{ var x int; _ = x }} } // make sure empty block scopes get printed
 `},
 	} {
 		f, err := parser.ParseFile(fset, file.name, file.input, 0)
@@ -81,23 +82,33 @@ const Boiling Celsius = 100
 	// .  const temperature.Boiling temperature.Celsius
 	// .  type temperature.Celsius float64
 	// .  func temperature.FToC(f float64) temperature.Celsius
+	// .  func temperature.Unused()
 	// .  func temperature.main()
-	//
 	// .  main.go scope {
 	// .  .  package fmt
-	//
 	// .  .  function scope {
 	// .  .  .  var freezing temperature.Celsius
-	// .  .  }.  }
+	// .  .  }
+	// .  }
 	// .  celsius.go scope {
 	// .  .  package fmt
-	//
 	// .  .  function scope {
 	// .  .  .  var c temperature.Celsius
 	// .  .  }
 	// .  .  function scope {
 	// .  .  .  var f float64
-	// .  .  }.  }}
+	// .  .  }
+	// .  .  function scope {
+	// .  .  .  block scope {
+	// .  .  .  }
+	// .  .  .  block scope {
+	// .  .  .  .  block scope {
+	// .  .  .  .  .  var x int
+	// .  .  .  .  }
+	// .  .  .  }
+	// .  .  }
+	// .  }
+	// }
 }
 
 // ExampleMethodSet prints the method sets of various types.
diff --git a/src/go/types/scope.go b/src/go/types/scope.go
index 39e42d758a..839a60db2e 100644
--- a/src/go/types/scope.go
+++ b/src/go/types/scope.go
@@ -161,13 +161,8 @@ func (s *Scope) WriteTo(w io.Writer, n int, recurse bool) {
 	const ind = ".  "
 	indn := strings.Repeat(ind, n)
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s%s scope %p {", indn, s.comment, s)
-	if len(s.elems) == 0 {
-		fmt.Fprintf(w, "}\n")
-		return
-	}
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s%s scope %p {\n", indn, s.comment, s)
 
-	fmt.Fprintln(w)
 	indn1 := indn + ind
 	for _, name := range s.Names() {
 		fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s%s\n", indn1, s.elems[name])
@@ -175,12 +170,11 @@ func (s *Scope) WriteTo(w io.Writer, n int, recurse bool) {
 
 	if recurse {
 		for _, s := range s.children {
-			fmt.Fprintln(w)
 			s.WriteTo(w, n+1, recurse)
 		}
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s}", indn)
+	fmt.Fprintf(w, "%s}\n", indn)
 }
 
 // String returns a string representation of the scope, for debugging.