--- a/mercurial/commands.py	Tue Nov 17 16:22:17 2009 -0600
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py	Tue Nov 17 16:23:05 2009 -0600
@@ -2931,7 +2931,11 @@
 
     branch = ctx.branch()
     bheads = repo.branchheads(branch)
-    ui.status(_('branch: %s\n') % branch)
+    m = _('branch: %s\n') % branch
+    if branch != 'default':
+        ui.write(m)
+    else:
+        ui.status(m)
 
     st = list(repo.status(unknown=True))[:7]
     ms = merge_.mergestate(repo)