diff --git a/mutation/frozen_mutation.cc b/mutation/frozen_mutation.cc
index aa1e21c33d..676ad3558a 100644
--- a/mutation/frozen_mutation.cc
+++ b/mutation/frozen_mutation.cc
@@ -147,10 +147,6 @@ mutation_partition_view frozen_mutation::partition() const {
     return mutation_partition_view::from_view(mutation_view().partition());
 }
 
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& out, const frozen_mutation::printer& pr) {
-    return out << pr.self.unfreeze(pr.schema);
-}
-
 frozen_mutation::printer frozen_mutation::pretty_printer(schema_ptr s) const {
     return { *this, std::move(s) };
 }
diff --git a/mutation/frozen_mutation.hh b/mutation/frozen_mutation.hh
index 5fba24dc61..750999f4a2 100644
--- a/mutation/frozen_mutation.hh
+++ b/mutation/frozen_mutation.hh
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ public:
     struct printer {
         const frozen_mutation& self;
         schema_ptr schema;
-        friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream&, const printer&);
     };
 
     // Same requirements about the schema as unfreeze().
@@ -323,3 +322,9 @@ auto frozen_mutation::consume_gently(schema_ptr s, Consumer& consumer) const ->
     frozen_mutation_consumer_adaptor adaptor(s, consumer);
     co_return co_await consume_gently(s, adaptor);
 }
+
+template <> struct fmt::formatter<frozen_mutation::printer> : fmt::formatter<std::string_view> {
+    auto format(const frozen_mutation::printer& pr, fmt::format_context& ctx) const {
+        return fmt::format_to(ctx.out(), "{}", pr.self.unfreeze(pr.schema));
+    }
+};