diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
index 6b439fcdb5f55cf616885aa1859f3305b7f217ca..1b1af19a2baf677b8675f3c9e83a10f95dd60f79 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ QString WatchItem::formattedValue() const
         QString v = value;
         v.chop(1);
         QString len = elided > 0 ? QString::number(elided) : QLatin1String("unknown length");
-        return v + QLatin1String("\"... (") + len  + QLatin1Char(')');
+        return quoteUnprintable(v) + QLatin1String("\"... (") + len  + QLatin1Char(')');
     }
 
     return quoteUnprintable(value);