diff --git a/src/print.c b/src/print.c
index 53aa353769..53c8c4c91a 100644
--- a/src/print.c
+++ b/src/print.c
@@ -1908,8 +1908,29 @@ print_object (Lisp_Object obj, Lisp_Object printcharfun, bool escapeflag)
     {
     case_Lisp_Int:
       {
-	int len = sprintf (buf, "%"pI"d", XFIXNUM (obj));
-	strout (buf, len, len, printcharfun);
+        EMACS_INT c = XFIXNUM (obj);
+
+        if (EQ (Vinteger_output_format, Qt) && CHARACTERP (obj) && c < 4194176)
+          {
+            printchar ('?', printcharfun);
+
+            if (escapeflag
+                && (c == ';' || c == '(' || c == ')' || c == '{' || c == '}'
+                    || c == '[' || c == ']' || c == '\"' || c == '\'' || c == '\\'))
+              printchar ('\\', printcharfun);
+            print_string (Fchar_to_string (obj), printcharfun);
+          }
+        else if (INTEGERP (Vinteger_output_format)
+                 && XFIXNUM (Vinteger_output_format) == 16 && c >= 0)
+          {
+            int len = sprintf (buf, "#x%"pI"x", (EMACS_UINT) c);
+            strout (buf, len, len, printcharfun);
+          }
+        else
+          {
+            int len = sprintf (buf, "%"pI"d", c);
+            strout (buf, len, len, printcharfun);
+          }
       }
       break;
 
@@ -2247,6 +2268,13 @@ syms_of_print (void)
 that represents the number without losing information.  */);
   Vfloat_output_format = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_LISP ("integer-output-format", Vinteger_output_format,
+	       doc: /* The format used to print integers.
+When 't', print integers as characters.
+When a number 16, print numbers in hex format.
+Otherwise, print integers in decimal format.  */);
+  Vinteger_output_format = Qnil;
+
   DEFVAR_LISP ("print-length", Vprint_length,
 	       doc: /* Maximum length of list to print before abbreviating.
 A value of nil means no limit.  See also `eval-expression-print-length'.  */);