diff --git a/src/lager_format.erl b/src/lager_format.erl
index 2a9f995..6407474 100644
--- a/src/lager_format.erl
+++ b/src/lager_format.erl
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ control(C, A, F, Adj, P, Pad, Enc, L) ->
     {{C, A, F, Adj, P, Pad, Enc}, L}.
 
 control2($w, [A], F, Adj, P, Pad, _Enc, L) ->
-    Term = lager_trunc_io:fprint(A, L),
+    Term = lager_trunc_io:fprint(A, L, [{lists_as_strings, false}]),
     Res = term(Term, F, Adj, P, Pad),
     {Res, L - lists:flatlength(Res)};
 control2($p, [A], F, Adj, P, Pad, _Enc, L) ->
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ control2($p, [A], F, Adj, P, Pad, _Enc, L) ->
     Res = term(Term, F, Adj, P, Pad),
     {Res, L - lists:flatlength(Res)};
 control2($W, [A,Depth], F, Adj, P, Pad, _Enc, L) when is_integer(Depth) ->
-    Term = lager_trunc_io:fprint(A, L, [{depth, Depth}]),
+    Term = lager_trunc_io:fprint(A, L, [{depth, Depth}, {lists_as_strings, false}]),
     Res = term(Term, F, Adj, P, Pad),
     {Res, L - lists:flatlength(Res)};
 control2($P, [A,Depth], F, Adj, P, Pad, _Enc, L) when is_integer(Depth) ->
diff --git a/src/lager_trunc_io.erl b/src/lager_trunc_io.erl
index 11ab335..3e1c4a0 100644
--- a/src/lager_trunc_io.erl
+++ b/src/lager_trunc_io.erl
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
         %% negative depth means no depth limiting
         depth = -1 :: integer(),
         %% whether to print lists as strings, if possible
-        lists_as_strings = false :: boolean(),
+        lists_as_strings = true :: boolean(),
         %% force strings, or binaries to be printed as a string,
         %% even if they're not printable
         force_strings = false :: boolean()