diff --git a/src/util/gdbinit b/src/util/gdbinit
index 25ea8cf9d..58e259d5a 100644
--- a/src/util/gdbinit
+++ b/src/util/gdbinit
@@ -20,19 +20,33 @@ macro define NIL (cl_symbols)
 macro define T (cl_symbols+1)
 
 define ecl_print
+	set $cl_debug_arg = (long)($arg0)
+	print $cl_debug_arg
 	set $cl_debug_stream = ecl_make_string_output_stream(4096, 0)
 
-	#set $cl_debug_void = ecl_princ( $arg0, $cl_debug_stream)
-	#print $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.self
-	#set $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.fillp = 0
-
-	set $cl_debug_imm = 3 & (long)$arg0
-	set $cl_debug_type = ($cl_debug_imm ? $cl_debug_imm : $arg0->d.t)
+	set $cl_debug_imm = 3 & $cl_debug_arg
+	set $cl_debug_type = ($cl_debug_imm ? $cl_debug_imm : ((cl_object)$cl_debug_arg)->d.t)
 	print (cl_type) $cl_debug_type
 
 	# not safe for printing
 	if $cl_debug_type > 0
-	    set $cl_debug_void = si_write_ugly_object( $arg0, $cl_debug_stream)
+	    set $cl_debug_void = si_write_ugly_object( $cl_debug_arg, $cl_debug_stream)
+	    print $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.self
+
+	    set $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.fillp = 0
+	    set $cl_debug_void = ecl_princ( $cl_debug_arg, $cl_debug_stream)
+	    # ensure string is terminated
+	    set $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.self[$cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.fillp] = 0
 	    print $cl_debug_stream->stream.object0->base_string.self
 	end
 end
+
+
+define ecl_eval
+	set $cl_debug_str = ecl_make_simple_base_string( "$arg0", -1)
+	set $cl_debug_stream = ecl_make_string_input_stream( $cl_debug_str, 0, ((struct ecl_base_string*)$cl_debug_str)->fillp)
+	set $cl_debug_form = cl_read(1, $cl_debug_stream)
+	disable breakpoints
+	ecl_print cl_eval($cl_debug_form)
+	enable breakpoints
+end