diff --git a/doc/api.html b/doc/api.html
index de644d6b9b..c303993214 100644
--- a/doc/api.html
+++ b/doc/api.html
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ output the string immediately to stdout.
 </p>
 </dd>
 <dt class="hdlist1">
-<tt>p(object)</tt> 
+<tt>node.inspect(object)</tt> 
 </dt>
 <dd>
 <p>
-Print the JSON representation of <tt>object</tt> to the standard output.
+Return a string representation of the <tt>object</tt>. (For debugging.)
 </p>
 </dd>
 <dt class="hdlist1">
@@ -1944,7 +1944,7 @@ init (Handle&lt;Object&gt; target)
 <div id="footer">
 <div id="footer-text">
 Version 0.1.12<br />
-Last updated 2009-09-24 13:47:32 CEST
+Last updated 2009-09-27 12:27:16 CEST
 </div>
 </div>
 </body>
diff --git a/doc/api.txt b/doc/api.txt
index 89ab6fbe6c..fbc80ea57a 100644
--- a/doc/api.txt
+++ b/doc/api.txt
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ A synchronous output function. Will block the process and
 output the string immediately to stdout.
 
 
-+p(object)+ ::
-Print the JSON representation of +object+ to the standard output.
++node.inspect(object)+ ::
+Return a string representation of the +object+. (For debugging.)
 
 
 +print(string)+::
diff --git a/doc/node.1 b/doc/node.1
index 734719af61..1a982822ea 100644
--- a/doc/node.1
+++ b/doc/node.1
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 .\"     Title: node
 .\"    Author: 
 .\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.73.2 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
-.\"      Date: 09/24/2009
+.\"      Date: 09/27/2009
 .\"    Manual: 
 .\"    Source: 
 .\"
-.TH "NODE" "1" "09/24/2009" "" ""
+.TH "NODE" "1" "09/27/2009" "" ""
 .\" disable hyphenation
 .nh
 .\" disable justification (adjust text to left margin only)
@@ -65,11 +65,10 @@ node\.debug(string)
 A synchronous output function\. Will block the process and output the string immediately to stdout\.
 .RE
 .PP
-p(object)
+node\.inspect(object)
 .RS 4
-Print the JSON representation of
-object
-to the standard output\.
+Return a string representation of the
+object\. (For debugging\.)
 .RE
 .PP
 print(string)
diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 23c70d4585..a55df4ef76 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function readline (cmd) {
       with (exports.scope) {
         var ret = eval(buffered_cmd);
         exports.scope['_'] = ret;
-        printValue(ret);
+        puts(node.inspect(ret));
       }
         
       buffered_cmd = '';
@@ -137,44 +137,3 @@ function convertToScope (cmd) {
   
   return cmd;
 }
-
-/**
- * Echos the value of a value. Trys to print the value out
- * in the best way possible given the different types.
- * 
- * @param {Object} value The object to print out
- */
-function printValue (value) {
-  if (value === 0) {
-    puts("0");
-    return;
-  }
-  
-  if (value === false) {
-    puts("false");
-    return;
-  }
-  
-  if (value === "") {
-    puts('""');
-    return;
-  }
-  
-  if (typeof(value) == "function") {
-    puts("[Function]");
-    return;
-  }
-  
-  if (value === undefined) {
-    return;
-  }
-  
-  try {
-    puts(JSON.stringify(value));
-  } catch (e) {
-    if (e.message.search("circular"))
-      puts("[Circular Object]");
-    else
-      throw e;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/util.js b/src/util.js
index 9850f6eef8..a90e9a93c0 100644
--- a/src/util.js
+++ b/src/util.js
@@ -80,12 +80,31 @@ node.error = function (x) {
   node.stdio.writeError(x.toString() + "\n");
 };
 
-p = function (x) {
-  if (x === null) {
-    node.error("null");
-  } else if (x === NaN) {
-    node.error("NaN");
-  } else {
-    node.error(JSON.stringify(x) || "undefined");
+/**
+ * Echos the value of a value. Trys to print the value out
+ * in the best way possible given the different types.
+ * 
+ * @param {Object} value The object to print out
+ */
+node.inspect = function (value) {
+  if (value === 0) return "0";
+  if (value === false) return "false";
+  if (value === "") return '""';
+  if (typeof(value) == "function") return "[Function]";
+  if (value === undefined) return;
+  
+  try {
+    return JSON.stringify(value);
+  } catch (e) {
+    // TODO make this recusrive and do a partial JSON output of object.
+    if (e.message.search("circular")) {
+      return "[Circular Object]";
+    } else {
+      throw e;
+    }
   }
 };
+
+p = function (x) {
+  node.error(node.inspect(x));
+};