diff --git a/python/helpers/pydev/_pydevd_bundle/pydevd_repr_utils.py b/python/helpers/pydev/_pydevd_bundle/pydevd_repr_utils.py
index 15331f7b7be5..c7ba7e796ab9 100644
--- a/python/helpers/pydev/_pydevd_bundle/pydevd_repr_utils.py
+++ b/python/helpers/pydev/_pydevd_bundle/pydevd_repr_utils.py
@@ -166,10 +166,15 @@ if IS_PY3K:
             if result is not None:
                 return result
 
-            # if `__str__` method is overridden then return str(x)
-            if x.__str__ != object.__str__:
+            # if `__repr__` is overridden, then use `reprlib`
+            if x.__class__.__repr__ != object.__repr__:
+                return super().repr_instance(x, level)
+
+            # if `__str__` is overridden, then return str(x)
+            if x.__class__.__str__ != object.__str__:
                 return str(x)
 
+            # else use `reprlib`
             return super().repr_instance(x, level)
 
 
@@ -188,7 +193,11 @@ else:
                     return ('%s' % take_first_n_coll_elements(value, MAX_REPR_ITEM_SIZE)).rstrip(')]}') + '...'
                 return None
 
-        # other types
+        # if `__repr__` is overridden, then return repr(value)
+        if hasattr(value.__class__, "__repr__"):
+            return repr(value)
+
+        # else
         return str(value)
 
 
diff --git a/python/testData/debug/test_string_representation_in_variables_view.py b/python/testData/debug/test_string_representation_in_variables_view.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..00560551b150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/testData/debug/test_string_representation_in_variables_view.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+class FooStr:
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "str"
+
+
+class FooRepr:
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "repr"
+
+
+class FooReprlib:
+    pass
+
+
+foo_str = FooStr()
+foo_repr = FooRepr()
+foo_reprlib = FooReprlib()
+print()
diff --git a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/env/debug/PythonDebuggerTest.java b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/env/debug/PythonDebuggerTest.java
index 7995dd6c5759..dd63bdf26e6e 100644
--- a/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/env/debug/PythonDebuggerTest.java
+++ b/python/testSrc/com/jetbrains/env/debug/PythonDebuggerTest.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import com.jetbrains.env.EnvTestTagsRequired;
 import com.jetbrains.env.PyEnvTestCase;
 import com.jetbrains.python.console.pydev.PydevCompletionVariant;
 import com.jetbrains.python.debugger.PyDebugValue;
+import com.jetbrains.python.debugger.PyDebuggerException;
 import com.jetbrains.python.debugger.PyExceptionBreakpointProperties;
 import com.jetbrains.python.debugger.PyExceptionBreakpointType;
 import com.jetbrains.python.debugger.pydev.ProcessDebugger;
@@ -1709,6 +1710,34 @@ public class PythonDebuggerTest extends PyEnvTestCase {
     });
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testStringRepresentationInVariablesView() {
+    runPythonTest(new PyDebuggerTask("/debug", "test_string_representation_in_variables_view.py") {
+      @Override
+      public void before() {
+        toggleBreakpoint(getFilePath(getScriptName()), 17);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public void testing() throws Exception {
+        waitForPause();
+        List<PyDebugValue> frameVariables = loadFrame();
+        checkVariableValue(frameVariables, "str", "foo_str");
+        checkVariableValue(frameVariables, "repr", "foo_repr");
+        String expected = eval("repr(foo_reprlib)").getValue().replaceAll("[\"']", "");
+        checkVariableValue(frameVariables, expected, "foo_reprlib");
+        resume();
+        waitForTerminate();
+      }
+
+      private void checkVariableValue(List<PyDebugValue> frameVariables, String expected, String name) throws PyDebuggerException {
+        PyDebugValue value = findDebugValueByName(frameVariables, name);
+        loadVariable(value);
+        assertEquals(expected, value.getValue());
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   private static class PyDebuggerTaskTagAware extends PyDebuggerTask {
 
     private PyDebuggerTaskTagAware(@Nullable String relativeTestDataPath, String scriptName) {