diff --git a/ghcide/src/Development/IDE/Plugin/CodeAction.hs b/ghcide/src/Development/IDE/Plugin/CodeAction.hs
index 57213ddf96..e564447ffb 100644
--- a/ghcide/src/Development/IDE/Plugin/CodeAction.hs
+++ b/ghcide/src/Development/IDE/Plugin/CodeAction.hs
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ newDefinitionAction IdeOptions{..} parsedModule Range{_start} name typ
       , _start `isInsideSrcSpan` l]
     , nextLineP <- Position{ _line = _line lastLineP + 1, _character = 0}
     = [ ("Define " <> sig
-        , [TextEdit (Range nextLineP nextLineP) (T.unlines ["", sig, name <> " = error \"not implemented\""])]
+        , [TextEdit (Range nextLineP nextLineP) (T.unlines ["", sig, name <> " = _"])]
         )]
     | otherwise = []
   where