diff --git a/src/factory/printer.cpp b/src/factory/printer.cpp
index 70e81c7..0bd5af8 100644
--- a/src/factory/printer.cpp
+++ b/src/factory/printer.cpp
@@ -431,12 +431,36 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& strm, const PVStructure::Formatter& forma
                     return strm;
 
                 case scalarArray:
+                {
                     strm<<format::indent();
                     printTimeT(strm, format.xtop);
                     printAlarmT(strm, format.xtop);
-                    strm<<std::setprecision(6)<<*static_cast<const PVScalarArray*>(value.get())<<'\n';
-                    return strm;
 
+                    const PVScalarArray* pvArray = static_cast<const PVScalarArray*>(value.get());
+                    ScalarArrayConstPtr scalarArray = pvArray->getScalarArray();
+
+                    // Stringify byte arrays if requested
+                    if (format.xstring && scalarArray && scalarArray->getElementType() == pvByte) {
+                        shared_vector<const int8_t> byteArray;
+                        pvArray->getAs(byteArray);
+
+                        const char* str = reinterpret_cast<const char*>(byteArray.data());
+                        const size_t slen = strlen(str);
+
+                        const size_t buflen = epicsStrnEscapedFromRawSize(str, slen);
+
+                        char* buf = new char[buflen+1] {};
+                        epicsStrnEscapedFromRaw(buf, buflen+1, str, slen);
+
+                        strm<<buf;
+                        delete [] buf;
+                    } else {
+                        strm<<std::setprecision(6);
+                        strm<<*pvArray;
+                    }
+                    strm<<'\n';
+                    return strm;
+                }
                 case structure:
                     if(printEnumT(strm, format.xtop, true)) {
                         strm<<'\n';
diff --git a/src/pv/pvData.h b/src/pv/pvData.h
index 40d2564..cdadc75 100644
--- a/src/pv/pvData.h
+++ b/src/pv/pvData.h
@@ -888,6 +888,7 @@ class epicsShareClass PVStructure : public PVField, public BitSetSerializable
         const BitSet* xhighlight;
         mode_t xmode;
         format_t xfmt;
+        bool xstring;
     public:
         explicit Formatter(const PVStructure& top)
             :xtop(top)
@@ -895,6 +896,7 @@ class epicsShareClass PVStructure : public PVField, public BitSetSerializable
             ,xhighlight(0)
             ,xmode(Auto)
             ,xfmt(NT)
+            ,xstring(false)
         {}
 
         // those fields (and their parents) to be printed.  non-NT mode.
@@ -906,6 +908,8 @@ class epicsShareClass PVStructure : public PVField, public BitSetSerializable
 
         FORCE_INLINE Formatter& format(format_t f) { xfmt = f; return *this; }
 
+        FORCE_INLINE Formatter& asString(bool b) { xstring = b; return *this; }
+
         friend epicsShareFunc std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& strm, const Formatter& format);
         friend void printRaw(std::ostream& strm, const PVStructure::Formatter& format, const PVStructure& cur);
     };