diff --git a/gst/gstvalue.h b/gst/gstvalue.h
index de01abc55a..2e15642e97 100644
--- a/gst/gstvalue.h
+++ b/gst/gstvalue.h
@@ -80,12 +80,14 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
  * Can be used together with #GST_FOURCC_FORMAT to properly output a
  * #guint32 fourcc value in a printf()-style text message.
  */
-#define GST_FOURCC_ARGS(fourcc) \
-        ((gchar) ((fourcc)     &0xff)), \
-        ((gchar) (((fourcc)>>8 )&0xff)), \
-        ((gchar) (((fourcc)>>16)&0xff)), \
-        ((gchar) (((fourcc)>>24)&0xff))
 
+#define __GST_PRINT_CHAR(c) \
+  g_ascii_isprint(c) ? (c) : '.'
+#define GST_FOURCC_ARGS(fourcc)               \
+  __GST_PRINT_CHAR((fourcc) & 0xff),          \
+  __GST_PRINT_CHAR(((fourcc) >> 8) & 0xff),   \
+  __GST_PRINT_CHAR(((fourcc) >> 16) & 0xff),  \
+  __GST_PRINT_CHAR(((fourcc) >> 24) & 0xff)
 /**
  * GST_VALUE_HOLDS_INT_RANGE:
  * @x: the #GValue to check
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c b/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
index cd9b018a88..595b90845e 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -332,6 +332,23 @@ GST_START_TEST (info_register_same_debug_category_twice)
 GST_END_TEST;
 #endif
 
+GST_START_TEST (info_fourcc)
+{
+  gchar *res;
+  const gchar *cmp;
+
+  cmp = "abcd";
+  res = g_strdup_printf ("%" GST_FOURCC_FORMAT, GST_FOURCC_ARGS (0x64636261));
+  fail_unless_equals_string (res, cmp);
+  g_free (res);
+
+  cmp = ".bcd";
+  res = g_strdup_printf ("%" GST_FOURCC_FORMAT, GST_FOURCC_ARGS (0x646362a9));
+  fail_unless_equals_string (res, cmp);
+}
+
+GST_END_TEST;
+
 static Suite *
 gst_info_suite (void)
 {
@@ -341,6 +358,7 @@ gst_info_suite (void)
   tcase_set_timeout (tc_chain, 30);
 
   suite_add_tcase (s, tc_chain);
+  tcase_add_test (tc_chain, info_fourcc);
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, info_segment_format_printf_extension);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, info_ptr_format_printf_extension);