diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1a55780e..5511df80 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ Version 200
 
 API Changes:
 
-* buffers_adaptor is renamed (was buffers_adapter)
+* buffers_adaptor replaces buffers_adapter (rename)
+* make_printable replaces buffers (rename)
 
 Actions Required:
 
@@ -29,6 +30,9 @@ Actions Required:
   replace buffers_adapter with buffers_adaptor. Or, define
   BOOST_BEAST_ALLOW_DEPRECATED
 
+* Replace call sites to use make_printable instead of buffers,
+  and also include make_printable.hpp instead of ostream.hpp.
+
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Version 199:
diff --git a/doc/qbk/03_core/3_buffers.qbk b/doc/qbk/03_core/3_buffers.qbk
index a84a6944..cf61e471 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/03_core/3_buffers.qbk
+++ b/doc/qbk/03_core/3_buffers.qbk
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ output streams.
 [table Buffer Output Streams
 [[Name][Description]]
 [[
-    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__buffers `buffers`]
+    [link beast.ref.boost__beast__make_printable `make_printable`]
 ][
     This function wraps a __ConstBufferSequence__ so it may be
     used with `operator<<` and `std::ostream`.
diff --git a/doc/qbk/quickref.xml b/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
index fbbb3341..220d2bba 100644
--- a/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
+++ b/doc/qbk/quickref.xml
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@
           <simplelist type="vert" columns="1">
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__bind_handler">bind_handler</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__bind_front_handler">bind_front_handler</link></member>
-            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__buffers">buffers</link></member>
+            <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__make_printable">make_printable</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__buffers_cat">buffers_cat</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__buffers_front">buffers_front</link></member>
             <member><link linkend="beast.ref.boost__beast__buffers_prefix">buffers_prefix</link></member>
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/async-ssl/websocket_client_async_ssl.cpp b/example/websocket/client/async-ssl/websocket_client_async_ssl.cpp
index a29fc8da..2135a22b 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/async-ssl/websocket_client_async_ssl.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/async-ssl/websocket_client_async_ssl.cpp
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ public:
 
         // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-        // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-        std::cout << beast::buffers(buffer_.data()) << std::endl;
+        // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+        std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer_.data()) << std::endl;
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/async/websocket_client_async.cpp b/example/websocket/client/async/websocket_client_async.cpp
index 2e95bdab..6d1e40e4 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/async/websocket_client_async.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/async/websocket_client_async.cpp
@@ -173,8 +173,8 @@ public:
 
         // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-        // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-        std::cout << beast::buffers(buffer_.data()) << std::endl;
+        // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+        std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer_.data()) << std::endl;
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/coro-ssl/websocket_client_coro_ssl.cpp b/example/websocket/client/coro-ssl/websocket_client_coro_ssl.cpp
index 322e5a31..59e48e4d 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/coro-ssl/websocket_client_coro_ssl.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/coro-ssl/websocket_client_coro_ssl.cpp
@@ -85,10 +85,10 @@ do_session(
         return fail(ec, "write");
 
     // This buffer will hold the incoming message
-    beast::multi_buffer b;
+    beast::multi_buffer buffer;
 
     // Read a message into our buffer
-    ws.async_read(b, yield[ec]);
+    ws.async_read(buffer, yield[ec]);
     if(ec)
         return fail(ec, "read");
 
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ do_session(
 
     // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-    // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-    std::cout << beast::buffers(b.data()) << std::endl;
+    // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+    std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer.data()) << std::endl;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/coro/websocket_client_coro.cpp b/example/websocket/client/coro/websocket_client_coro.cpp
index f9e82efb..c4c7497e 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/coro/websocket_client_coro.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/coro/websocket_client_coro.cpp
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ do_session(
         return fail(ec, "write");
 
     // This buffer will hold the incoming message
-    beast::multi_buffer b;
+    beast::multi_buffer buffer;
 
     // Read a message into our buffer
-    ws.async_read(b, yield[ec]);
+    ws.async_read(buffer, yield[ec]);
     if(ec)
         return fail(ec, "read");
 
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ do_session(
 
     // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-    // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-    std::cout << beast::buffers(b.data()) << std::endl;
+    // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+    std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer.data()) << std::endl;
 }
 
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/sync-ssl/websocket_client_sync_ssl.cpp b/example/websocket/client/sync-ssl/websocket_client_sync_ssl.cpp
index b83e51d7..7f4402fa 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/sync-ssl/websocket_client_sync_ssl.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/sync-ssl/websocket_client_sync_ssl.cpp
@@ -79,18 +79,18 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         ws.write(net::buffer(std::string(text)));
 
         // This buffer will hold the incoming message
-        beast::multi_buffer b;
+        beast::multi_buffer buffer;
 
         // Read a message into our buffer
-        ws.read(b);
+        ws.read(buffer);
 
         // Close the WebSocket connection
         ws.close(websocket::close_code::normal);
 
         // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-        // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-        std::cout << beast::buffers(b.data()) << std::endl;
+        // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+        std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer.data()) << std::endl;
     }
     catch(std::exception const& e)
     {
diff --git a/example/websocket/client/sync/websocket_client_sync.cpp b/example/websocket/client/sync/websocket_client_sync.cpp
index 6543d6ed..3821618f 100644
--- a/example/websocket/client/sync/websocket_client_sync.cpp
+++ b/example/websocket/client/sync/websocket_client_sync.cpp
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
 
         // If we get here then the connection is closed gracefully
 
-        // The buffers() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
-        std::cout << beast::buffers(buffer.data()) << std::endl;
+        // The make_printable() function helps print a ConstBufferSequence
+        std::cout << beast::make_printable(buffer.data()) << std::endl;
     }
     catch(std::exception const& e)
     {
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core.hpp
index 15fc4867..642d6eda 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <boost/beast/core/flat_buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/flat_static_buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/handler_ptr.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/multi_buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/ostream.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/read_size.hpp>
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/ostream.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/ostream.hpp
index 57e4e516..4356cd34 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/detail/ostream.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/detail/ostream.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include <boost/throw_exception.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
 #include <memory>
-#include <iosfwd>
+#include <ostream>
 #include <streambuf>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
@@ -25,38 +25,6 @@ namespace boost {
 namespace beast {
 namespace detail {
 
-template<class Buffers>
-class buffers_helper
-{
-    Buffers b_;
-
-public:
-    explicit
-    buffers_helper(Buffers const& b)
-        : b_(b)
-    {
-    }
-
-    template<class B>
-    friend
-    std::ostream&
-    operator<<(std::ostream& os,
-        buffers_helper<B> const& v);
-};
-
-template<class Buffers>
-std::ostream&
-operator<<(std::ostream& os,
-    buffers_helper<Buffers> const& v)
-{
-    for(auto b : buffers_range(std::ref(v.b_)))
-        os.write(static_cast<char const*>(
-            b.data()), b.size());
-    return os;
-}
-
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 struct basic_streambuf_movable_helper :
     std::basic_streambuf<char, std::char_traits<char>>
 {
@@ -67,12 +35,12 @@ struct basic_streambuf_movable_helper :
 using basic_streambuf_movable =
     std::is_move_constructible<basic_streambuf_movable_helper>;
 
-//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 template<class DynamicBuffer,
     class CharT, class Traits, bool isMovable>
 class ostream_buffer;
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 template<class DynamicBuffer, class CharT, class Traits>
 class ostream_buffer
         <DynamicBuffer, CharT, Traits, true>
@@ -136,6 +104,8 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 // This nonsense is all to work around a glitch in libstdc++
 // where std::basic_streambuf copy constructor is private:
 // https://github.com/gcc-mirror/gcc/blob/gcc-4_8-branch/libstdc%2B%2B-v3/include/std/streambuf#L799
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f3eaa4c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2018 Vinnie Falco (vinnie dot falco at gmail dot com)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+//
+// Official repository: https://github.com/boostorg/beast
+//
+
+#ifndef BOOST_BEAST_MAKE_PRINTABLE_HPP
+#define BOOST_BEAST_MAKE_PRINTABLE_HPP
+
+#include <boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp>
+#include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
+#include <ostream>
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace beast {
+
+namespace detail {
+
+template<class Buffers>
+class make_printable_adaptor
+{
+    Buffers b_;
+
+public:
+    explicit
+    make_printable_adaptor(Buffers const& b)
+        : b_(b)
+    {
+    }
+
+    template<class B>
+    friend
+    std::ostream&
+    operator<<(std::ostream& os,
+        make_printable_adaptor<B> const& v);
+};
+
+template<class Buffers>
+std::ostream&
+operator<<(std::ostream& os,
+    make_printable_adaptor<Buffers> const& v)
+{
+    for(
+        auto it = net::buffer_sequence_begin(v.b_),
+        end = net::buffer_sequence_end(v.b_);
+        it != end;
+        ++it)
+    {
+        net::const_buffer cb = *it;
+        os.write(static_cast<char const*>(
+            cb.data()), cb.size());
+    }
+    return os;
+}
+
+} // detail
+
+/** Helper to permit a buffer sequence to be printed to a std::ostream
+
+    This function is used to wrap a buffer sequence to allow it to
+    be interpreted as characters and written to a `std::ostream` such
+    as `std::cout`. No character translation is performed; unprintable
+    and null characters will be transferred as-is to the output stream.
+
+    @par Example
+    This function prints the size and contents of a buffer sequence
+    to standard output:
+    @code
+    template <class ConstBufferSequence>
+    void
+    print (ConstBufferSequence const& buffers)
+    {
+        using net::buffer_size;
+        std::cout <<
+            "Buffer size: " << buffer_size(buffers) << " bytes\n"
+            "Buffer data: '" << make_printable(buffers) << "'\n";
+    }
+    @endcode
+
+    @param buffers An object meeting the requirements of
+    <em>ConstBufferSequence</em> to be streamed. The implementation
+    will make a copy of this object. Ownership of the underlying
+    memory is not transferred, the application is still responsible
+    for managing its lifetime.
+*/
+template<class ConstBufferSequence>
+#if BOOST_BEAST_DOXYGEN
+__implementation_defined__
+#else
+detail::make_printable_adaptor<ConstBufferSequence>
+#endif
+make_printable(ConstBufferSequence const& buffers)
+{
+    static_assert(net::is_const_buffer_sequence<
+        ConstBufferSequence>::value,
+            "ConstBufferSequence requirements not met");
+    return detail::make_printable_adaptor<
+        ConstBufferSequence>{buffers};
+}
+
+} // beast
+} // boost
+
+#endif
diff --git a/include/boost/beast/core/ostream.hpp b/include/boost/beast/core/ostream.hpp
index 0523c87f..9daabea6 100644
--- a/include/boost/beast/core/ostream.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/beast/core/ostream.hpp
@@ -17,45 +17,13 @@
 #include <streambuf>
 #include <utility>
 
+#ifdef BOOST_BEAST_ALLOW_DEPRECATED
+#include <boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp>
+#endif
+
 namespace boost {
 namespace beast {
 
-/** Return an object representing a @b ConstBufferSequence.
-
-    This function wraps a reference to a buffer sequence and permits
-    the following operation:
-
-    @li `operator<<` to `std::ostream`. No character translation is
-        performed; unprintable and null characters will be transferred
-        as-is to the output stream.
-
-    @par Example
-    @code
-        multi_buffer b;
-        ...
-        std::cout << buffers(b.data()) << std::endl;
-    @endcode
-
-    @param b An object meeting the requirements of @b ConstBufferSequence
-    to be streamed. The implementation will make a copy of this object.
-    Ownership of the underlying memory is not transferred, the application
-    is still responsible for managing its lifetime.
-*/
-template<class ConstBufferSequence>
-#if BOOST_BEAST_DOXYGEN
-__implementation_defined__
-#else
-detail::buffers_helper<ConstBufferSequence>
-#endif
-buffers(ConstBufferSequence const& b)
-{
-    static_assert(net::is_const_buffer_sequence<
-        ConstBufferSequence>::value,
-            "ConstBufferSequence requirements not met");
-    return detail::buffers_helper<
-        ConstBufferSequence>{b};
-}
-
 /** Return an output stream that formats values into a @b DynamicBuffer.
 
     This function wraps the caller provided @b DynamicBuffer into
@@ -98,6 +66,25 @@ ostream(DynamicBuffer& buffer)
             detail::basic_streambuf_movable::value>{buffer};
 }
 
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#ifdef BOOST_BEAST_ALLOW_DEPRECATED
+template<class T>
+detail::make_printable_adaptor<T>
+buffers(T const& t)
+{
+    return make_printable(t);
+}
+#else
+template<class T>
+void buffers(T const&)
+{
+    static_assert(sizeof(T) == 0,
+        "The function buffers() is deprecated, use make_printable() instead, "
+        "or define BOOST_BEAST_ALLOW_DEPRECATED to silence this error.");
+}
+#endif
+
 } // beast
 } // boost
 
diff --git a/test/beast/core/CMakeLists.txt b/test/beast/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 53efbe5e..c74d8c02 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/beast/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ add_executable (tests-beast-core
     flat_buffer.cpp
     flat_static_buffer.cpp
     handler_ptr.cpp
+    make_printable.cpp
     multi_buffer.cpp
     ostream.cpp
     read_size.cpp
diff --git a/test/beast/core/Jamfile b/test/beast/core/Jamfile
index c09167b3..a634e848 100644
--- a/test/beast/core/Jamfile
+++ b/test/beast/core/Jamfile
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ local SOURCES =
     flat_buffer.cpp
     flat_static_buffer.cpp
     handler_ptr.cpp
+    make_printable.cpp
     multi_buffer.cpp
     ostream.cpp
     read_size.cpp
diff --git a/test/beast/core/make_printable.cpp b/test/beast/core/make_printable.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..002cd2b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/beast/core/make_printable.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2016-2017 Vinnie Falco (vinnie dot falco at gmail dot com)
+//
+// Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+// file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+//
+// Official repository: https://github.com/boostorg/beast
+//
+
+// Test that header file is self-contained.
+#include <boost/beast/core/make_printable.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/_experimental/unit_test/suite.hpp>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
+
+#include "buffer_test.hpp"
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace beast {
+
+class make_printable_test : public beast::unit_test::suite
+{
+public:
+    template <class ConstBufferSequence>
+    void
+    print (ConstBufferSequence const& buffers)
+    {
+        using net::buffer_size;
+        std::cout <<
+            "Buffer size: " << buffer_size(buffers) << " bytes\n"
+            "Buffer data: '" << make_printable(buffers) << "'\n";
+    }
+
+    void
+    testJavadoc()
+    {
+        BEAST_EXPECT(&make_printable_test::print<buffers_triple>);
+    }
+
+    void
+    testMakePrintable()
+    {
+        using net::buffer;
+
+        char buf[13];
+        buffers_triple b(buf, sizeof(buf));
+        string_view src = "Hello, world!";
+        BEAST_EXPECT(src.size() == sizeof(buf));
+        net::buffer_copy(b,
+            net::const_buffer(src.data(), src.size()));
+        std::ostringstream ss;
+        ss << make_printable(b);
+        BEAST_EXPECT(ss.str() == src);
+    }
+
+    void
+    run() override
+    {
+        testJavadoc();
+        testMakePrintable();
+    }
+};
+
+BEAST_DEFINE_TESTSUITE(beast,core,make_printable);
+
+} // beast
+} // boost