diff --git a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/base.js b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/base.js
index 18607c615f..c5063741a2 100644
--- a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/base.js
+++ b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/base.js
@@ -38,6 +38,4 @@ export function Directive(node: Object) {
   this.semicolon();
 }
 
-export function DirectiveLiteral(node: Object) {
-  this.push(this._stringLiteral(node.value));
-}
+export { StringLiteral as DirectiveLiteral } from "./types";
diff --git a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/flow.js b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/flow.js
index 15f39923ca..10645fab0a 100644
--- a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/flow.js
+++ b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/flow.js
@@ -140,16 +140,15 @@ export function NullableTypeAnnotation(node: Object) {
   this.print(node.typeAnnotation, node);
 }
 
-export { NumericLiteral as NumericLiteralTypeAnnotation } from "./types";
+export {
+  NumericLiteral as NumericLiteralTypeAnnotation,
+  StringLiteral as StringLiteralTypeAnnotation,
+} from "./types";
 
 export function NumberTypeAnnotation() {
   this.push("number");
 }
 
-export function StringLiteralTypeAnnotation(node: Object) {
-  this.push(this._stringLiteral(node.value));
-}
-
 export function StringTypeAnnotation() {
   this.push("string");
 }
diff --git a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/types.js b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/types.js
index 5eb8e1148d..731a2f17cb 100644
--- a/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/types.js
+++ b/packages/babel-generator/src/generators/types.js
@@ -123,15 +123,27 @@ export function NullLiteral() {
 }
 
 export function NumericLiteral(node: Object) {
+  let raw = this.getPossibleRaw(node);
+  if (raw != null) {
+    // Write an empty string to add indentation on just this first time.
+    this.push("");
+    this.push(raw, true /* noIndent */);
+    return;
+  }
+
   this.push(node.value + "");
 }
 
 export function StringLiteral(node: Object, parent: Object) {
-  this.push(this._stringLiteral(node.value, parent));
-}
+  let raw = this.getPossibleRaw(node);
+  if (raw != null) {
+    // Write an empty string to add indentation on just this first time.
+    this.push("");
+    this.push(raw, true /* noIndent */);
+    return;
+  }
 
-export function _stringLiteral(val: string, parent: Object): string {
-  val = JSON.stringify(val);
+  let val = JSON.stringify(node.value);
 
   // escape illegal js but valid json unicode characters
   val = val.replace(/[\u000A\u000D\u2028\u2029]/g, function (c) {
@@ -152,5 +164,5 @@ export function _stringLiteral(val: string, parent: Object): string {
     val = `'${val}'`;
   }
 
-  return val;
+  return this.push(val);
 }
diff --git a/packages/babel-generator/src/printer.js b/packages/babel-generator/src/printer.js
index 488c045f32..cfe34c6964 100644
--- a/packages/babel-generator/src/printer.js
+++ b/packages/babel-generator/src/printer.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export default class Printer extends Buffer {
 
     let loc = (t.isProgram(node) || t.isFile(node)) ? null : node.loc;
     this.withSource("start", loc, () => {
-      this._print(node, parent);
+      this[node.type](node, parent);
     });
 
     // Check again if any of our children may have left an aux comment on the stack
@@ -96,30 +96,14 @@ export default class Printer extends Buffer {
   }
 
   getPossibleRaw(node) {
+    if (this.format.minified) return;
+
     let extra = node.extra;
     if (extra && extra.raw != null && extra.rawValue != null && node.value === extra.rawValue) {
       return extra.raw;
     }
   }
 
-  _print(node, parent) {
-    // In minified mode we need to produce as little bytes as needed
-    // and need to make sure that string quoting is consistent.
-    // That means we have to always reprint as opposed to getting
-    // the raw value.
-    if (!this.format.minified) {
-      let extra = this.getPossibleRaw(node);
-      if (extra) {
-        this.push("");
-        this._push(extra);
-        return;
-      }
-    }
-
-    let printMethod = this[node.type];
-    printMethod.call(this, node, parent);
-  }
-
   printJoin(nodes: ?Array, parent: Object, opts = {}) {
     if (!nodes || !nodes.length) return;