diff --git a/src/print.c b/src/print.c
index dca095f281..909c55efed 100644
--- a/src/print.c
+++ b/src/print.c
@@ -1908,8 +1908,16 @@ 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);
+        if (print_integers_as_characters && CHARACTERP (obj))
+          {
+            printchar ('?', printcharfun);
+            print_string (CALLN (Fstring, obj), printcharfun);
+          }
+        else
+          {
+            int len = sprintf (buf, "%"pI"d", XFIXNUM (obj));
+            strout (buf, len, len, printcharfun);
+          }
       }
       break;
 
@@ -2247,6 +2255,10 @@ syms_of_print (void)
 that represents the number without losing information.  */);
   Vfloat_output_format = Qnil;
 
+  DEFVAR_BOOL ("print-integers-as-characters", print_integers_as_characters,
+	       doc: /* Print integers as characters.  */);
+  print_integers_as_characters = 0;
+
   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'.  */);