diff --git a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
index 08a46246e..ced507652 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/58-debug.js
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                         if (seen.indexOf(value) !== -1) { return "[circular]"; }
                         seen.push(value);
                     }
+                    if (typeof value === 'string') {
+                        if (value.length > debuglength) {
+                            return value.substring(0,debuglength)+"...";
+                        }
+                    }
                     return value;
                 }," ");
             } else {
@@ -129,7 +134,9 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             msg.msg = "(undefined)";
         } else {
             msg.format = "string ["+msg.msg.length+"]";
-            msg.msg = msg.msg;
+            if (msg.msg.length > debuglength) {
+                msg.msg = msg.msg.substring(0,debuglength)+"...";
+            }
         }
 
         // if (msg.msg.length > debuglength) {
diff --git a/nodes/core/core/lib/debug/debug-utils.js b/nodes/core/core/lib/debug/debug-utils.js
index bf2574c47..1617cfb59 100644
--- a/nodes/core/core/lib/debug/debug-utils.js
+++ b/nodes/core/core/lib/debug/debug-utils.js
@@ -120,7 +120,11 @@ RED.debug = (function() {
                                     $('<span class="debug-message-object-value debug-message-type-meta">object</span>').appendTo(headerHead);
                                 }
                             } else if (typeof value === 'string') {
-                                $('<span class="debug-message-object-value debug-message-type-string"></span>').text('"'+value+'"').appendTo(headerHead);
+                                var subvalue = value;
+                                if (subvalue.length > 20) {
+                                    subvalue = subvalue.substring(0,50)+"...";
+                                }
+                                $('<span class="debug-message-object-value debug-message-type-string"></span>').text('"'+subvalue+'"').appendTo(headerHead);
                             } else {
                                 $('<span class="debug-message-object-value debug-message-type-other"></span>').text(""+value).appendTo(headerHead);
                             }