diff --git a/doc/lightweight_test.qbk b/doc/lightweight_test.qbk
index 4b9abd1..c7ef180 100644
--- a/doc/lightweight_test.qbk
+++ b/doc/lightweight_test.qbk
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ When using `lightweight_test.hpp`, *do not forget* to
 #define BOOST_ERROR(message) /*unspecified*/
 #define BOOST_TEST_EQ(expr1, expr2) /*unspecified*/
 #define BOOST_TEST_NE(expr1, expr2) /*unspecified*/
+#define BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ(expr1, expr2) /*unspecified*/
+#define BOOST_TEST_CSTR_NE(expr1, expr2) /*unspecified*/
 #define BOOST_TEST_THROWS(expr, excep) /*unspecified*/
 
 namespace boost
@@ -101,6 +103,26 @@ message containing both expressions.
 
 [endsect]
 
+[section BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ]
+
+``
+BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ(expr1, expr2)
+``
+
+Specialization of BOOST_TEST_EQ which interprets expr1 and expr2 as pointers to null-terminated byte strings (C strings). If `std::strcmp(expr1, expr2) != 0`, increase the error count and output a message containing both expressions.
+
+[endsect]
+
+[section BOOST_TEST_CSTR_NE]
+
+``
+BOOST_TEST_CSTR_NE(expr1, expr2)
+``
+
+Specialization of BOOST_TEST_NE which interprets expr1 and expr2 as pointers to null-terminated byte strings (C strings). If `std::strcmp(expr1, expr2) == 0`, increase the error count and output a message containing both expressions.
+
+[endsect]
+
 [section BOOST_TEST_THROWS]
 
 ``
diff --git a/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp b/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
index d6db024..804c8f4 100644
--- a/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <boost/current_function.hpp>
 #include <boost/core/no_exceptions_support.hpp>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <cstring>
 
 //  IDE's like Visual Studio perform better if output goes to std::cout or
 //  some other stream, so allow user to configure output stream:
@@ -101,6 +102,12 @@ inline void throw_failed_impl(char const * excep, char const * file, int line, c
 # pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wsign-compare"
 #endif
 
+// specialize test output for char pointers to avoid printing as cstring
+template <class T> inline const T& test_output_impl(const T& v) { return v; }
+inline const void* test_output_impl(const char* v) { return v; }
+inline const void* test_output_impl(const unsigned char* v) { return v; }
+inline const void* test_output_impl(const signed char* v) { return v; }
+
 template<class T, class U> inline void test_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
   char const * file, int line, char const * function, T const & t, U const & u )
 {
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ template<class T, class U> inline void test_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char co
         BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
             << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
             << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
-            << "'" << t << "' != '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
+            << "'" << test_output_impl(t) << "' != '" << test_output_impl(u) << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
     }
 }
@@ -130,6 +137,40 @@ template<class T, class U> inline void test_ne_impl( char const * expr1, char co
         BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
             << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " != " << expr2
             << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
+            << "'" << test_output_impl(t) << "' == '" << test_output_impl(u) << "'" << std::endl;
+        ++test_errors();
+    }
+}
+
+inline void test_cstr_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
+  char const * file, int line, char const * function, char const * const t, char const * const u )
+{
+    if( std::strcmp(t, u) == 0 )
+    {
+        report_errors_remind();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+            << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
+            << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
+            << "'" << t << "' != '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
+        ++test_errors();
+    }
+}
+
+inline void test_cstr_ne_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
+  char const * file, int line, char const * function, char const * const t, char const * const u )
+{
+    if( std::strcmp(t, u) != 0 )
+    {
+        report_errors_remind();
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+            << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
+            << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
             << "'" << t << "' == '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
     }
@@ -177,6 +218,9 @@ inline int report_errors()
 #define BOOST_TEST_EQ(expr1,expr2) ( ::boost::detail::test_eq_impl(#expr1, #expr2, __FILE__, __LINE__, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, expr1, expr2) )
 #define BOOST_TEST_NE(expr1,expr2) ( ::boost::detail::test_ne_impl(#expr1, #expr2, __FILE__, __LINE__, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, expr1, expr2) )
 
+#define BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ(expr1,expr2) ( ::boost::detail::test_cstr_eq_impl(#expr1, #expr2, __FILE__, __LINE__, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, expr1, expr2) )
+#define BOOST_TEST_CSTR_NE(expr1,expr2) ( ::boost::detail::test_cstr_ne_impl(#expr1, #expr2, __FILE__, __LINE__, BOOST_CURRENT_FUNCTION, expr1, expr2) )
+
 #ifndef BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
    #define BOOST_TEST_THROWS( EXPR, EXCEP )                    \
       try {                                                    \
diff --git a/test/Jamfile.v2 b/test/Jamfile.v2
index f93ff51..31ba00f 100644
--- a/test/Jamfile.v2
+++ b/test/Jamfile.v2
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ run-fail lightweight_test_fail7.cpp ;
 run-fail lightweight_test_fail7.cpp : : : <rtti>off : lightweight_test_fail7_no_rtti ;
 run-fail lightweight_test_fail8.cpp ;
 run-fail lightweight_test_fail8.cpp : : : <rtti>off : lightweight_test_fail8_no_rtti ;
+run-fail lightweight_test_fail9.cpp ;
+run-fail lightweight_test_fail10.cpp ;
 
 run is_same_test.cpp ;
 
diff --git a/test/lightweight_test_fail10.cpp b/test/lightweight_test_fail10.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..388c47e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lightweight_test_fail10.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//
+// Negative test for BOOST_TEST_EQ on const char*
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2017 Hans Dembinski
+//
+// 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
+//
+
+#include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
+
+int main()
+{
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ("xab"+1 , "yab"+1); // compares addresses, not cstrings
+
+    return boost::report_errors();
+}
diff --git a/test/lightweight_test_fail9.cpp b/test/lightweight_test_fail9.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a87a4f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/lightweight_test_fail9.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+//
+// Negative test for BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2017 Hans Dembinski
+//
+// 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
+//
+
+#include <boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp>
+
+int main()
+{
+    BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ("x" , "y");
+
+    return boost::report_errors();
+}
diff --git a/test/lightweight_test_test.cpp b/test/lightweight_test_test.cpp
index d4808a1..a3b04a9 100644
--- a/test/lightweight_test_test.cpp
+++ b/test/lightweight_test_test.cpp
@@ -64,11 +64,15 @@ int main()
 
     BOOST_TEST_EQ( ++x, ++y );
     BOOST_TEST_EQ( x++, y++ );
+    BOOST_TEST_CSTR_EQ("xabc"+1, "yabc"+1); // equal cstrings, different addresses
+    BOOST_TEST_EQ( &y, &y );
 
     // BOOST_TEST_NE
 
     BOOST_TEST_NE( ++x, y );
     BOOST_TEST_NE( &x, &y );
+    BOOST_TEST_NE("xabc"+1, "yabc"+1); // equal cstrings, different addresses
+    BOOST_TEST_CSTR_NE("x", "y");
 
     // BOOST_TEST_THROWS