diff --git a/examples/record-variant-tests.dx b/examples/record-variant-tests.dx
index 84588504f..871fa2941 100644
--- a/examples/record-variant-tests.dx
+++ b/examples/record-variant-tests.dx
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ Syntax for records, variants, and their types.
 'Records
 
 :p {}
-> {,}
+> {}
 :t {}
 > { &}
 
 :p {,}
-> {,}
+> {}
 :t {,}
 > { &}
 
@@ -316,16 +316,16 @@ myStuff :(Fin 5 => {foo:_ | foo:_ | foo:_ | bar:_ | baz:_}) =
 :p ordinal {a=(7@Fin 10), b=(2@Fin 3)}
 > 27
 :p fromOrdinal {a:Fin 10 & b:Fin 3} 14
-> {a = 4@Fin 10, b = 1@Fin 3}
+> {a = (4@Fin 10), b = (1@Fin 3)}
 
 recordsAsIndices : {a:Fin 2 & b:Fin 3}=>{a:Fin 2 & b:Fin 3} = for i. i
 :p recordsAsIndices
-> [ {a = 0@Fin 2, b = 0@Fin 3}
-> , {a = 1@Fin 2, b = 0@Fin 3}
-> , {a = 0@Fin 2, b = 1@Fin 3}
-> , {a = 1@Fin 2, b = 1@Fin 3}
-> , {a = 0@Fin 2, b = 2@Fin 3}
-> , {a = 1@Fin 2, b = 2@Fin 3} ]@{a: Fin 2 & b: Fin 3}
+> [ {a = (0@Fin 2), b = (0@Fin 3)}
+> , {a = (1@Fin 2), b = (0@Fin 3)}
+> , {a = (0@Fin 2), b = (1@Fin 3)}
+> , {a = (1@Fin 2), b = (1@Fin 3)}
+> , {a = (0@Fin 2), b = (2@Fin 3)}
+> , {a = (1@Fin 2), b = (2@Fin 3)} ]@{a: Fin 2 & b: Fin 3}
 
 -- TODO: this still causes an error
 -- :p for i:(Fin 6). recordsAsIndices.((ordinal i) @ _)
diff --git a/examples/serialize-tests.dx b/examples/serialize-tests.dx
index f5eaa1c98..af32285d8 100644
--- a/examples/serialize-tests.dx
+++ b/examples/serialize-tests.dx
@@ -19,6 +19,20 @@
 :p ()
 > ()
 
+'Records and variants
+
+:p {a=1, b=2}
+> {a = 1, b = 2}
+
+:p {a="1234", b=[1, 2, 3]}
+> {a = ['1', '2', '3', '4'], b = [1, 2, 3]}
+
+:p [{| a=1 |}, {| b=2.0 |}] : (Fin 2) => {a:Int | b:Float}
+> [{| a = 1 |}, {| b = 2.0 |}]
+
+:p {table = [{| a=1 |}, {| b=2.0 |}]} : {table: (Fin 2) => {a:Int | b:Float}}
+> {table = [{| a = 1 |}, {| b = 2.0 |}]}
+
 'Values without a pretty-printer (currently shows warning message):
 
 :p Int
diff --git a/src/lib/Serialize.hs b/src/lib/Serialize.hs
index f609062da..e977de0d6 100644
--- a/src/lib/Serialize.hs
+++ b/src/lib/Serialize.hs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import qualified Data.ByteString as BS
 import System.Directory
 import System.FilePath
 import Data.Foldable (toList)
+import qualified Data.Map.Strict as M
 import Data.Store hiding (size)
 import Data.Text.Prettyprint.Doc  hiding (brackets)
 
@@ -57,8 +58,8 @@ prettyVal val = case val of
     where DataConDef conName _ = dataCons !! con
   Con con -> case con of
     PairCon x y -> do
-      xStr <- asStr <$> prettyVal x
-      yStr <- asStr <$> prettyVal y
+      xStr <- pprintVal x
+      yStr <- pprintVal y
       return $ pretty (xStr, yStr)
     SumAsProd ty (TagRepVal trep) payload -> do
       let t = fromIntegral trep
@@ -79,6 +80,18 @@ prettyVal val = case val of
             variant = Variant (NoExt types) theLabel repeatNum value
         _ -> error "SumAsProd with an unsupported type"
     _ -> return $ pretty con
+  Record (LabeledItems row) -> do
+    let separator = line' <> ","
+    let bindwith = " ="
+    let elems = concatMap (\(k, vs) -> map (k,) (toList vs)) (M.toAscList row)
+    let fmElem = \(label :: Label, v) -> do
+          vStr <- prettyVal v
+          return $ pretty label <> bindwith <+> vStr
+    docs <- mapM fmElem elems
+    let innerDoc = "{" <> flatAlt " " ""
+          <> concatWith (surround (separator <> " ")) docs
+          <> "}"
+    return $ align $ group innerDoc
   atom -> return $ prettyPrec atom LowestPrec
 
 -- TODO: this isn't enough, since this module's compilation might be cached