diff --git a/pyadjoint/adjfloat.py b/pyadjoint/adjfloat.py
index fa639918..57e633fa 100644
--- a/pyadjoint/adjfloat.py
+++ b/pyadjoint/adjfloat.py
@@ -123,6 +123,11 @@ def _ad_to_list(value):
     def _ad_copy(self):
         return self
 
+    @property
+    def _ad_str(self):
+        """Return the string of the taped value of this variable."""
+        return str(self.block_variable.saved_output)
+
 
 _min = min
 _max = max
diff --git a/pyadjoint/block_variable.py b/pyadjoint/block_variable.py
index 3b3fa25d..e252b0ea 100644
--- a/pyadjoint/block_variable.py
+++ b/pyadjoint/block_variable.py
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def will_add_as_output(self):
             self.save_output()
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return str(self.output)
+        return str(self.output._ad_str)
 
     @property
     def checkpoint(self):
diff --git a/pyadjoint/overloaded_type.py b/pyadjoint/overloaded_type.py
index 1d286aee..a6a02f68 100644
--- a/pyadjoint/overloaded_type.py
+++ b/pyadjoint/overloaded_type.py
@@ -308,6 +308,18 @@ def _ad_dim(self):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
+    def _ad_str(self):
+        """Return the string representation of the block variable.
+
+        For simple scalar types this might be the string representation of the
+        stored value. For more complex objects it is likely to be based on a
+        name attached to this instance.
+
+        Returns:
+            str: A human readable serialisation of this variable.
+        """
+        return str(self)
+
 
 class FloatingType(OverloadedType):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):