diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
index ad7392536..9002d9b09 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/Common.hs
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ module Hledger.Read.Common (
   skipNonNewlineSpaces,
   skipNonNewlineSpaces1,
   aliasesFromOpts,
+  makeTransactionErrorExcerpt,
 
   -- * tests
   tests_Common,
@@ -454,6 +455,7 @@ journalCheckCommoditiesDeclared j = mapM_ checkcommodities (journalPostings j)
 -- and the rendered excerpt, or as much of these as is possible.
 makeTransactionErrorExcerpt :: Transaction -> (Transaction -> Maybe (Int, Maybe Int)) -> (FilePath, Int, Maybe (Int, Maybe Int), Text)
 makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t findtxnerrorcolumns = (f, tl, merrcols, ex)
+  -- XXX findtxnerrorcolumns is awkward, I don't think this is the final form
   where
     (SourcePos f tpos _) = fst $ tsourcepos t
     tl = unPos tpos
@@ -469,9 +471,9 @@ decorateTransactionErrorExcerpt l mcols txt =
     (ls,ms) = splitAt 1 $ T.lines txt
     ls' = map ((T.pack (show l) <> " | ") <>) ls
     colmarkerline =
-      [lineprefix <> T.replicate col " " <> T.replicate regionw "^"
+      [lineprefix <> T.replicate (col-1) " " <> T.replicate regionw "^"
       | Just (col, mendcol) <- [mcols]
-      , let regionw = maybe 1 (subtract col) mendcol
+      , let regionw = maybe 1 (subtract col) mendcol + 1
       ]
     lineprefix = T.replicate marginw " " <> "| "
       where  marginw = length (show l) + 1
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Check/Ordereddates.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Check/Ordereddates.hs
index 117fb4780..01d85c525 100755
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Check/Ordereddates.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Check/Ordereddates.hs
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ module Hledger.Cli.Commands.Check.Ordereddates (
 )
 where
 
-import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Hledger
 import Hledger.Cli.CliOptions
 import Control.Monad (forM)
 import Data.List (groupBy)
+import Text.Printf (printf)
+import Data.Maybe (fromMaybe)
 
 journalCheckOrdereddates :: CliOpts -> Journal -> Either String ()
 journalCheckOrdereddates CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec} j = do
@@ -26,17 +27,17 @@ journalCheckOrdereddates CliOpts{reportspec_=rspec} j = do
     case checkTransactions compare ts of
       FoldAcc{fa_previous=Nothing} -> Right ()
       FoldAcc{fa_error=Nothing}    -> Right ()
-      FoldAcc{fa_error=Just error, fa_previous=Just previous} -> do
-        let
-          datestr = if date2_ ropts then "2" else ""
-          uniquestr = if checkunique then " and/or not unique" else ""
-          positionstr = sourcePosPairPretty $ tsourcepos error
-          txn1str = T.unpack . linesPrepend  (T.pack "  ")               $ showTransaction previous
-          txn2str = T.unpack . linesPrepend2 (T.pack "> ") (T.pack "  ") $ showTransaction error
-        Left $
-          "transaction date" <> datestr <> " is out of order"
-          <> uniquestr <> "\nat " <> positionstr <> ":\n\n"
-          <> txn1str <> txn2str
+      FoldAcc{fa_error=Just t, fa_previous=Just tprev} -> Left $ printf
+        "%s:%d:%d-%d:\n%stransaction date%s is out of order with previous transaction date %s%s" 
+        f l col col2 ex datenum tprevdate oruniquestr
+        where
+          (f,l,mcols,ex) = makeTransactionErrorExcerpt t finderrcols
+          col  = maybe 0 fst mcols
+          col2 = maybe 0 (fromMaybe 0 . snd) mcols
+          finderrcols _t = Just (1, Just 10)
+          datenum   = if date2_ ropts then "2" else ""
+          tprevdate = show $ (if date2_ ropts then transactionDate2 else tdate) tprev
+          oruniquestr = if checkunique then ", and/or not unique" else ""  -- XXX still used ?
 
 data FoldAcc a b = FoldAcc
  { fa_error    :: Maybe a
diff --git a/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.test b/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.test
index 40d1c2c46..f6c8cf845 100644
--- a/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.test
+++ b/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.test
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 $$$ hledger check ordereddates -f ordereddates.j
 >>>2
-hledger: Error: transaction date is out of order
-at /Users/simon/src/hledger/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.j:10-11:
-
-  2022-01-02 p
-      (a)               1
-  
-> 2022-01-01 p
-      (a)               1
-  
-
+hledger: Error: /Users/simon/src/hledger/hledger/test/errors/ordereddates.j:10:1-10:
+10 | 2022-01-01 p
+   | ^^^^^^^^^^
+   |     (a)               1
+transaction date is out of order with previous transaction date 2022-01-02
 >>>=1