diff --git a/src/api/api_seq.cpp b/src/api/api_seq.cpp
index 6b48360a3..19e298ee8 100644
--- a/src/api/api_seq.cpp
+++ b/src/api/api_seq.cpp
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ extern "C" {
             SET_ERROR_CODE(Z3_INVALID_ARG, "expression is not a string literal");
             return "";
         }
-        std::string result = str.encode();
-        return mk_c(c)->mk_external_string(result);
+        std::string s = str.encode();
+        return mk_c(c)->mk_external_string(s);
         Z3_CATCH_RETURN("");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/api/python/z3/z3.py b/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
index ffd9c27a1..4e515b433 100644
--- a/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
+++ b/src/api/python/z3/z3.py
@@ -9914,6 +9914,8 @@ class SeqRef(ExprRef):
 
     def as_string(self):
         """Return a string representation of sequence expression."""
+        if self.is_string_value():
+           return Z3_get_string(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast())
         return Z3_ast_to_string(self.ctx_ref(), self.as_ast())
 
 
diff --git a/src/ast/rewriter/seq_rewriter.cpp b/src/ast/rewriter/seq_rewriter.cpp
index 25fc5c119..d46f234e2 100644
--- a/src/ast/rewriter/seq_rewriter.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/rewriter/seq_rewriter.cpp
@@ -386,7 +386,6 @@ eautomaton* re2automaton::seq2aut(expr* e) {
 
 br_status seq_rewriter::mk_app_core(func_decl * f, unsigned num_args, expr * const * args, expr_ref & result) {
     SASSERT(f->get_family_id() == get_fid());
-    TRACE("seq", tout << f->get_name() << "\n";);
     br_status st = BR_FAILED;
     switch(f->get_decl_kind()) {
         
diff --git a/src/smt/asserted_formulas.cpp b/src/smt/asserted_formulas.cpp
index d364404da..164d36ae2 100644
--- a/src/smt/asserted_formulas.cpp
+++ b/src/smt/asserted_formulas.cpp
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ void asserted_formulas::propagate_values() {
         m_expr2depth.reset();
         m_scoped_substitution.push();
         unsigned prop = num_prop;
-        TRACE("propagate_values", tout << "before:\n"; display(tout););
+        TRACE("propagate_values", display(tout << "before:\n"););
         unsigned i  = m_qhead;
         unsigned sz = m_formulas.size();
         for (; i < sz; i++) {
@@ -482,15 +482,13 @@ unsigned asserted_formulas::propagate_values(unsigned i) {
     expr_ref new_n(m);
     proof_ref new_pr(m);
     m_rewriter(n, new_n, new_pr);
+    TRACE("propagate_values", tout << n << "\n" << new_n << "\n";);
     if (m.proofs_enabled()) {
         proof * pr  = m_formulas[i].get_proof();
         new_pr = m.mk_modus_ponens(pr, new_pr);
     }
     justified_expr j(m, new_n, new_pr);
     m_formulas[i] = j;
-    if (m_formulas[i].get_fml() != new_n) {
-        std::cout << "NOT updated\n";
-    }
     if (m.is_false(j.get_fml())) {
         m_inconsistent = true;
     }