diff --git a/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp b/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
index 2608582..804c8f4 100644
--- a/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/core/lightweight_test.hpp
@@ -102,6 +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 )
 {
@@ -114,43 +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_errors();
-    }
-}
-
-// overloads for pointers compare and print addresses
-template<class T, class U> inline void test_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
-  char const * file, int line, char const * function, const T* const t, const U* const u )
-{
-    if( t == u )
-    {
-        report_errors_remind();
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
-            << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
-            << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
-            << "'" << (const void*)t << "' != '" << (const void*)u << "'" << std::endl;
-        ++test_errors();
-    }
-}
-
-// impl for cstring
-inline void test_cstr_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
-  char const * file, int line, char const * function, const char* const t, const char* 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_output_impl(t) << "' != '" << test_output_impl(u) << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
     }
 }
@@ -167,16 +137,15 @@ 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 << "': "
-            << "'" << t << "' == '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
+            << "'" << test_output_impl(t) << "' == '" << test_output_impl(u) << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
     }
 }
 
-// overloads for pointers compare and print addresses
-template<class T, class U> inline void test_ne_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
-  char const * file, int line, char const * function, const T* const t, const U* const u )
+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( t != u )
+    if( std::strcmp(t, u) == 0 )
     {
         report_errors_remind();
     }
@@ -185,14 +154,13 @@ 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 << "': "
-            << "'" << (const void*)t << "' == '" << (const void*)u << "'" << std::endl;
+            << "'" << t << "' != '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
     }
 }
 
-// impl for cstring
 inline void test_cstr_ne_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
-  char const * file, int line, char const * function, const char* const t, const char* const u )
+  char const * file, int line, char const * function, char const * const t, char const * const u )
 {
     if( std::strcmp(t, u) != 0 )
     {
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();
+}