diff --git a/django_elasticsearch_dsl/management/commands/search_index.py b/django_elasticsearch_dsl/management/commands/search_index.py
index 8898928a..e0b119d5 100644
--- a/django_elasticsearch_dsl/management/commands/search_index.py
+++ b/django_elasticsearch_dsl/management/commands/search_index.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def _get_models(self, args):
 
     def _create(self, models, options):
         for index in registry.get_indices(models):
-            self.stdout.write("Creating index '{}'".format(index))
+            self.stdout.write("Creating index '{}'".format(index._name))
             index.create()
 
     def _populate(self, models, options):
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def _delete(self, models, options):
                 return False
 
         for index in registry.get_indices(models):
-            self.stdout.write("Deleting index '{}'".format(index))
+            self.stdout.write("Deleting index '{}'".format(index._name))
             index.delete(ignore=404)
         return True