diff --git a/src/typval.c b/src/typval.c
index b3325b6..65e07b3 100644
--- a/src/typval.c
+++ b/src/typval.c
@@ -927,8 +927,13 @@
     return OK;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Convert any type to a string, never give an error.
+ * When "quotes" is TRUE add quotes to a string.
+ * Returns an allocated string.
+ */
     char_u *
-typval_tostring(typval_T *arg)
+typval_tostring(typval_T *arg, int quotes)
 {
     char_u	*tofree;
     char_u	numbuf[NUMBUFLEN];
@@ -936,10 +941,18 @@
 
     if (arg == NULL)
 	return vim_strsave((char_u *)"(does not exist)");
-    ret = tv2string(arg, &tofree, numbuf, 0);
-    // Make a copy if we have a value but it's not in allocated memory.
-    if (ret != NULL && tofree == NULL)
-	ret = vim_strsave(ret);
+    if (!quotes && arg->v_type == VAR_STRING)
+    {
+	ret = vim_strsave(arg->vval.v_string == NULL ? (char_u *)""
+							 : arg->vval.v_string);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+	ret = tv2string(arg, &tofree, numbuf, 0);
+	// Make a copy if we have a value but it's not in allocated memory.
+	if (ret != NULL && tofree == NULL)
+	    ret = vim_strsave(ret);
+    }
     return ret;
 }