diff --git a/src/include/units/bits/to_string.h b/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
similarity index 94%
rename from src/include/units/bits/to_string.h
rename to src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
index 56185c53..f10ab0ff 100644
--- a/src/include/units/bits/to_string.h
+++ b/src/include/units/bits/unit_text.h
@@ -178,16 +178,4 @@ constexpr auto unit_text()
   }
 }
 
-template<typename CharT, class Traits, Quantity Q>
-std::basic_string<CharT> to_string(const Q& q)
-{
-  std::basic_ostringstream<CharT, Traits> s;
-  s << q.count();
-  constexpr auto symbol = unit_text<typename Q::dimension, typename Q::unit>();
-  if constexpr (symbol.standard().size()) {
-    s << " " << symbol.standard();
-  }
-  return s.str();
-}
-
 }  // namespace units::detail
diff --git a/src/include/units/quantity.h b/src/include/units/quantity.h
index 1e95d05b..57b84410 100644
--- a/src/include/units/quantity.h
+++ b/src/include/units/quantity.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include <units/bits/common_quantity.h>
 #include <units/bits/dimension_op.h>
 #include <units/bits/pow.h>
-#include <units/bits/to_string.h>
+#include <units/bits/unit_text.h>
 #include <units/generic/dimensionless.h>
 #include <units/quantity_cast.h>
 #include <compare>
@@ -334,7 +334,12 @@ public:
   template<class CharT, class Traits>
   friend std::basic_ostream<CharT, Traits>& operator<<(std::basic_ostream<CharT, Traits>& os, const quantity& q)
   {
-    return os << detail::to_string<CharT, Traits>(q);
+    os << q.count();
+    constexpr auto symbol = detail::unit_text<D, U>();
+    if constexpr (symbol.standard().size()) {
+      os << " " << symbol.standard();
+    }
+    return os;
   }
 };