diff --git a/lib/custom_streams.gi b/lib/custom_streams.gi
index 01798f9ddc0..7d76888b29a 100644
--- a/lib/custom_streams.gi
+++ b/lib/custom_streams.gi
@@ -343,11 +343,8 @@ InstallMethod( PrintFormattingStatus, "output text custom",
 ##
 InstallMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "output text custom",
         [IsOutputTextCustomRep and IsOutputTextStream,
-         IsBool],
+         IsObject],
         function( str, stat)
-    if stat = fail then
-        Error("Print formatting status must be true or false");
-    else
-        str!.formatting := stat;
-    fi;
+    CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus(stat);
+    str!.formatting := stat;
 end);
diff --git a/lib/streams.gd b/lib/streams.gd
index 0f39b669730..8c4942e4550 100644
--- a/lib/streams.gd
+++ b/lib/streams.gd
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ DeclareGlobalFunction( "InputOutputLocalProcess" );
 ##  </ManSection>
 ##  <#/GAPDoc>
 ##
-DeclareOperation( "SetPrintFormattingStatus", [IsOutputStream, IsBool] );
+DeclareOperation( "SetPrintFormattingStatus", [IsOutputStream, IsObject] );
 DeclareOperation( "PrintFormattingStatus", [IsOutputStream] );
 
 
@@ -1259,3 +1259,5 @@ DeclareGlobalFunction( "InputFromUser" );
 ##  <#/GAPDoc>
 ##
 DeclareGlobalFunction( "OpenExternal" );
+
+DeclareGlobalFunction( "CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus");
diff --git a/lib/streams.gi b/lib/streams.gi
index cbd7059fadf..b8342136268 100644
--- a/lib/streams.gi
+++ b/lib/streams.gi
@@ -929,13 +929,10 @@ InstallMethod( PrintFormattingStatus, "output text string",
 ##
 InstallMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "output text string",
         [IsOutputTextStringRep and IsOutputTextStream,
-         IsBool],
+         IsObject],
         function( str, stat)
-    if stat = fail then
-        Error("Print formatting status must be true or false");
-    else
-        str![2] := stat;
-    fi;
+    CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus(stat);
+    str![2] := stat;
 end);
 
 
@@ -1130,13 +1127,10 @@ InstallMethod( PrintFormattingStatus, "output text file",
 ##
 InstallMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "output text file",
         [IsOutputTextFileRep and IsOutputTextStream,
-         IsBool],
+         IsObject],
         function( str, stat)
-    if stat = fail then
-        Error("Print formatting status must be true or false");
-    else
-        str![3] := stat;
-    fi;
+    CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus(stat);
+    str![3] := stat;
 end);
 
 ##  formatting status for stdout or current output
@@ -1151,7 +1145,7 @@ function(str)
   fi;
 end);
 
-InstallOtherMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "for stdout", [IsString, IsBool],
+InstallOtherMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "for stdout", [IsString, IsObject],
 function(str, status)
   if str = "*stdout*" then
     SET_PRINT_FORMATTING_STDOUT(status);
@@ -1255,9 +1249,7 @@ InstallMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "output text none",
         [IsOutputTextNoneRep and IsOutputTextNone,
          IsBool],
         function( str, stat)
-    if stat = fail then
-        Error("Print formatting status must be true or false");
-    fi;
+    CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus(stat);
 end);
 
 
@@ -1676,14 +1668,35 @@ InstallMethod( SetPrintFormattingStatus, "for non-text output stream",
         TryNextMethod();
     fi;
 
-    if stat = true then
-        Error("non-text streams support onlyPrint formatting status false");
-    elif stat = fail then
-        Error("Print formatting status must be true or false");
+    CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus(stat);
+    if (( IsBool(stat) and stat = true ) or 
+        ( IsRecord(stat) and (stat.linewrap or stat.indent) ) ) then
+        Error("non-text streams do not support print formatting");
     fi;
 end);
 
 
+InstallGlobalFunction( "CheckValidPrintFormattingStatus",
+function(fs)
+    local r;
+    if IsBool(fs) then
+        if fs = fail then
+            Error("Formatting status cannot be 'fail'");
+        fi;
+    elif IsRecord(fs) then
+        if Set(RecNames(fs)) <> ["indent", "linewrap"] then
+            Error("Formatting status records must contain only 'indent' and 'linewrap'");
+        fi;
+        for r in ["indent","linewrap"] do
+            if not fs.(r) in [false, true] then
+                Error(Concatenation(r, " must be a Boolean in Formatting status"));
+            fi;
+        od;
+    else
+        Error("Formatting status must be a boolean or a record");
+    fi;
+end);
+
 #############################################################################
 ##
 #M  FileDescriptorOfStream( <iostream-by-pty> )
diff --git a/src/io.c b/src/io.c
index ec4d529a3a6..b3ecb42deda 100644
--- a/src/io.c
+++ b/src/io.c
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@
 #include "lists.h"
 #include "modules.h"
 #include "plist.h"
+#include "precord.h"
 #include "read.h"
+#include "records.h"
 #include "scanner.h"
 #include "stringobj.h"
 #include "symbols.h"
@@ -115,8 +117,8 @@ struct IOModuleState {
 
     Int NoSplitLine;
 
-    BOOL PrintFormattingForStdout;
-    BOOL PrintFormattingForErrout;
+    StreamFormat PrintFormattingForStdout;
+    StreamFormat PrintFormattingForErrout;
 };
 
 // for debugging from GDB / lldb, we mark this as extern inline
@@ -851,7 +853,7 @@ UInt OpenOutput(TypOutputFile * output, const Char * filename, BOOL append)
     else if (streq(filename, "*errout*"))
         output->format = IO()->PrintFormattingForErrout;
     else
-        output->format = TRUE;
+        output->format = MakeStreamFormat(TRUE, TRUE);
     output->indent = 0;
 
     // variables related to line splitting, very bad place to split
@@ -886,7 +888,8 @@ UInt OpenOutputStream(TypOutputFile * output, Obj stream)
     output->file = -1;
     output->line[0] = '\0';
     output->pos = 0;
-    output->format = (CALL_1ARGS(PrintFormattingStatus, stream) == True);
+    output->format =
+        StreamFormatFromObj(CALL_1ARGS(PrintFormattingStatus, stream));
     output->indent = 0;
 
     // variables related to line splitting, very bad place to split
@@ -1236,21 +1239,21 @@ static void PutChrTo(TypOutputFile * stream, Char ch)
   // '\01', increment indentation level
   if ( ch == '\01' ) {
 
-    if (!stream->format)
-      return;
+      if (NoStreamFormat(stream->format))
+          return;
 
-    // add hint to break line
-    addLineBreakHint(stream, stream->pos, 16*stream->indent, 1);
+      // add hint to break line
+      addLineBreakHint(stream, stream->pos, 16 * stream->indent, 1);
   }
 
   // '\02', decrement indentation level
   else if ( ch == '\02' ) {
 
-    if (!stream->format)
-      return;
+      if (NoStreamFormat(stream->format))
+          return;
 
-    // if this is a better place to split the line remember it
-    addLineBreakHint(stream, stream->pos, 16*stream->indent, -1);
+      // if this is a better place to split the line remember it
+      addLineBreakHint(stream, stream->pos, 16 * stream->indent, -1);
   }
 
   // '\03', print line
@@ -1282,12 +1285,11 @@ static void PutChrTo(TypOutputFile * stream, Char ch)
 
     // and dump it from the buffer
     stream->pos = 0;
-    if (stream->format)
-      {
+    if (stream->format.indent) {
         // indent for next line
         for ( i = 0;  i < stream->indent; i++ )
           stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = ' ';
-      }
+    }
     // reset line break hints
     stream->hints[0] = -1;
 
@@ -1318,55 +1320,57 @@ static void PutChrTo(TypOutputFile * stream, Char ch)
 
       /* if we are going to split at the end of the line, and we are
          formatting discard blanks */
-      if ( stream->format && spos == stream->pos && ch == ' ' ) {
-        ;
+      if (stream->format.linewrap && spos == stream->pos && ch == ' ') {
+          ;
       }
 
       // full line, acceptable split position
-      else if ( stream->format && spos != 0 ) {
-
-        // add character to the line, terminate it
-        stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = ch;
-        stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = '\0';
-
-        // copy the rest after the best split position to a safe place
-        for ( i = spos; i < stream->pos; i++ )
-          str[ i-spos ] = stream->line[ i ];
-        str[ i-spos] = '\0';
-
-        // print line up to the best split position
-        stream->line[ spos++ ] = '\n';
-        stream->line[ spos   ] = '\0';
-        PutLineTo( stream, spos );
-        spos--;
+      else if (stream->format.linewrap && spos != 0) {
+
+          // add character to the line, terminate it
+          stream->line[stream->pos++] = ch;
+          stream->line[stream->pos++] = '\0';
+
+          // copy the rest after the best split position to a safe place
+          for (i = spos; i < stream->pos; i++)
+              str[i - spos] = stream->line[i];
+          str[i - spos] = '\0';
+
+          // print line up to the best split position
+          stream->line[spos++] = '\n';
+          stream->line[spos] = '\0';
+          PutLineTo(stream, spos);
+          spos--;
+
+          stream->pos = 0;
+          if (stream->format.indent) {
+              // indent for the rest
+              for (i = 0; i < stream->hints[3 * hint + 2]; i++)
+                  stream->line[stream->pos++] = ' ';
+              spos -= stream->hints[3 * hint + 2];
+          }
 
-        // indent for the rest
-        stream->pos = 0;
-        for ( i = 0; i < stream->hints[3*hint+2]; i++ )
-          stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = ' ';
-        spos -= stream->hints[3*hint+2];
-
-        // copy the rest onto the next line
-        for ( i = 0; str[ i ] != '\0'; i++ )
-          stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = str[ i ];
-        // recover line break hints for copied rest
-        for ( i = hint+1; stream->hints[3*i] != -1; i++ )
-        {
-          stream->hints[3*(i-hint-1)] = stream->hints[3*i]-spos;
-          stream->hints[3*(i-hint-1)+1] = stream->hints[3*i+1];
-          stream->hints[3*(i-hint-1)+2] = stream->hints[3*i+2];
-        }
-        stream->hints[3*(i-hint-1)] = -1;
+          // copy the rest onto the next line
+          for (i = 0; str[i] != '\0'; i++)
+              stream->line[stream->pos++] = str[i];
+          // recover line break hints for copied rest
+          for (i = hint + 1; stream->hints[3 * i] != -1; i++) {
+              stream->hints[3 * (i - hint - 1)] = stream->hints[3 * i] - spos;
+              stream->hints[3 * (i - hint - 1) + 1] =
+                  stream->hints[3 * i + 1];
+              stream->hints[3 * (i - hint - 1) + 2] =
+                  stream->hints[3 * i + 2];
+          }
+          stream->hints[3 * (i - hint - 1)] = -1;
       }
 
       // full line, no split position
       else {
 
-        if (stream->format)
-          {
-            /* append a '\',*/
-            stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = '\\';
-            stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = '\n';
+          if (stream->format.linewrap) {
+              // append a '\'
+              stream->line[stream->pos++] = '\\';
+              stream->line[stream->pos++] = '\n';
           }
         // and print the line
         stream->line[ stream->pos   ] = '\0';
@@ -1376,8 +1380,8 @@ static void PutChrTo(TypOutputFile * stream, Char ch)
         stream->pos = 0;
         stream->line[ stream->pos++ ] = ch;
 
-        if (stream->format)
-          stream->hints[0] = -1;
+        if (stream->format.indent)
+            stream->hints[0] = -1;
       }
 
     }
@@ -1883,6 +1887,42 @@ void SPrTo(Char *buffer, UInt maxlen, const Char *format, Int arg1, Int arg2)
 }
 
 
+// Convert GAP-level print formatting objects to kernel level, and vice-versa
+
+StreamFormat StreamFormatFromObj(Obj o)
+{
+    if (o == True) {
+        return MakeStreamFormat(TRUE, TRUE);
+    }
+    if (o == False) {
+        return MakeStreamFormat(FALSE, FALSE);
+    }
+
+    RequirePlainRec("Stream formatting", o);
+
+    Obj indent = ElmPRec(o, RNamName("indent"));
+    Obj linewrap = ElmPRec(o, RNamName("linewrap"));
+
+    RequireTrueOrFalse("indent in stream formatting", indent);
+    RequireTrueOrFalse("linewrap in stream formatting", linewrap);
+
+    BOOL i = (indent == True);
+    BOOL l = (linewrap == True);
+
+    return MakeStreamFormat(l, i);
+}
+
+Obj ObjFromStreamFormat(StreamFormat sf)
+{
+    Obj o = NEW_PREC(2);
+    Obj indent = sf.indent ? True : False;
+    Obj linewrap = sf.linewrap ? True : False;
+    AssPRec(o, RNamName("indent"), indent);
+    AssPRec(o, RNamName("linewrap"), linewrap);
+    return o;
+}
+
+
 static Obj FuncINPUT_FILENAME(Obj self)
 {
     if (IO()->Input == 0)
@@ -1899,7 +1939,7 @@ static Obj FuncINPUT_LINENUMBER(Obj self)
 
 static Obj FuncSET_PRINT_FORMATTING_STDOUT(Obj self, Obj val)
 {
-    BOOL format = (val != False);
+    StreamFormat    format = StreamFormatFromObj(val);
     TypOutputFile * output = IO()->Output;
     while (output) {
         if (!output->stream && output->file == 1)
@@ -1912,12 +1952,12 @@ static Obj FuncSET_PRINT_FORMATTING_STDOUT(Obj self, Obj val)
 
 static Obj FuncPRINT_FORMATTING_STDOUT(Obj self)
 {
-    return IO()->PrintFormattingForStdout ? True : False;
+    return ObjFromStreamFormat(IO()->PrintFormattingForStdout);
 }
 
 static Obj FuncSET_PRINT_FORMATTING_ERROUT(Obj self, Obj val)
 {
-    BOOL format = (val != False);
+    StreamFormat    format = StreamFormatFromObj(val);
     TypOutputFile * output = IO()->Output;
     while (output) {
         if (!output->stream && output->file == 3)
@@ -1930,7 +1970,7 @@ static Obj FuncSET_PRINT_FORMATTING_ERROUT(Obj self, Obj val)
 
 static Obj FuncPRINT_FORMATTING_ERROUT(Obj self)
 {
-    return IO()->PrintFormattingForErrout ? True : False;
+    return ObjFromStreamFormat(IO()->PrintFormattingForErrout);
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -1949,8 +1989,8 @@ static Obj FuncCALL_WITH_FORMATTING_STATUS(Obj self, Obj status, Obj func, Obj a
     if (!output)
         ErrorMayQuit("CALL_WITH_FORMATTING_STATUS called while no output is open", 0, 0);
 
-    BOOL old = output->format;
-    output->format = (status != False);
+    StreamFormat old = output->format;
+    output->format = StreamFormatFromObj(status);
 
     Obj result;
     GAP_TRY
@@ -2031,8 +2071,8 @@ static Int InitKernel (
     IO()->Output = 0;
     IO()->InputLog = 0;
     IO()->OutputLog = 0;
-    IO()->PrintFormattingForStdout = TRUE;
-    IO()->PrintFormattingForErrout = TRUE;
+    IO()->PrintFormattingForStdout = MakeStreamFormat(TRUE, TRUE);
+    IO()->PrintFormattingForErrout = MakeStreamFormat(TRUE, TRUE);
 
     OpenOutput(&IO()->DefaultOutput, "*stdout*", FALSE);
 
diff --git a/src/io.h b/src/io.h
index 3e76a9e4f5c..c7a3fad4b86 100644
--- a/src/io.h
+++ b/src/io.h
@@ -92,6 +92,25 @@ enum {
     MAXLENOUTPUTLINE = 4096,
 };
 
+typedef struct {
+    BOOL linewrap;
+    BOOL indent;
+} StreamFormat;
+
+EXPORT_INLINE StreamFormat MakeStreamFormat(BOOL linewrap, BOOL indent)
+{
+    StreamFormat s = { .linewrap = linewrap, .indent = indent };
+    return s;
+}
+
+EXPORT_INLINE BOOL NoStreamFormat(StreamFormat sf)
+{
+    return !sf.linewrap && !sf.indent;
+}
+
+
+StreamFormat StreamFormatFromObj(Obj o);
+Obj          ObjFromStreamFormat(StreamFormat sf);
 
 /****************************************************************************
 **
@@ -113,7 +132,7 @@ struct TypOutputFile {
 
     char line[MAXLENOUTPUTLINE];
     Int  pos;
-    BOOL format;
+    StreamFormat format;
     Int  indent;
 
     // each hint is a triple (position, value, indent)
diff --git a/tst/testinstall/streams.tst b/tst/testinstall/streams.tst
index d35765f7bb6..27502296143 100644
--- a/tst/testinstall/streams.tst
+++ b/tst/testinstall/streams.tst
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#@local dir,fname,file,line,stream,tmpdir,res,streams,i
+#@local dir,fname,file,line,stream,tmpdir,res,streams,i,func,linewrap,indent
 gap> START_TEST("streams.tst");
 
 #
@@ -102,6 +102,56 @@ gap> CloseStream(stream);
 gap> StringFile(fname);
 "a very long line that GAP is going to wrap at 80 chars by default if we don't\
  do anything about it\n"
+gap> func := function(x) if x then return "a very long line that GAP is going to wrap at 80 chars by default if we don't do anything about it"; fi; end;;
+gap> for linewrap in [false,true] do
+> for indent in [false,true] do
+> res := "";
+> stream := OutputTextString(res, true);
+> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, rec(linewrap := linewrap, indent := indent));
+> PrintTo(stream, func);
+> CloseStream(stream);
+> Print([linewrap, indent, res],"\n");
+> od;
+> od;
+[ false, false, 
+  "function ( x )\nif x then\nreturn \"a very long line that GAP is going to w\
+rap at 80 chars by default if we don't do anything about it\";\nfi;\nreturn;\n\
+end" ]
+[ false, true, 
+  "function ( x )\n    if x then\n        return \"a very long line that GAP i\
+s going to wrap at 80 chars by default if we don't do anything about it\";\n  \
+  fi;\n    return;\nend" ]
+[ true, false, 
+  "function ( x )\nif x then\nreturn \"a very long line that GAP is going to w\
+rap at 80 chars by default if w\\\ne don't do anything about it\";\nfi;\nretur\
+n;\nend" ]
+[ true, true, 
+  "function ( x )\n    if x then\n        return \n         \"a very long line\
+ that GAP is going to wrap at 80 chars by default if\\\n we don't do anything \
+about it\";\n    fi;\n    return;\nend" ]
+gap> stream := OutputTextString(res, true);
+OutputTextString(181)
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, true);
+gap> PrintFormattingStatus(stream);
+true
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, false);
+gap> PrintFormattingStatus(stream);
+false
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, rec(indent := false, linewrap := true));
+gap> PrintFormattingStatus(stream);
+rec( indent := false, linewrap := true )
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, fail);
+Error, Formatting status cannot be 'fail'
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, 6);
+Error, Formatting status must be a boolean or a record
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, rec(indent := false));
+Error, Formatting status records must contain only 'indent' and 'linewrap'
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, rec(indent := false, linewrap := 12));
+Error, linewrap must be a Boolean in Formatting status
+gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, rec(indent := false, linewrap := false, extra := true));
+Error, Formatting status records must contain only 'indent' and 'linewrap'
+gap> PrintFormattingStatus(stream);
+rec( indent := false, linewrap := true )
 
 #
 # string streams
@@ -207,7 +257,7 @@ true
 gap> WriteByte(stream, 300);
 Error, <byte> must an integer between 0 and 255
 gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus(stream, fail);
-Error, Print formatting status must be true or false
+Error, Formatting status cannot be 'fail'
 
 # too many open files
 gap> streams := [ ];;
diff --git a/tst/testspecial/print-formatting.g.out b/tst/testspecial/print-formatting.g.out
index 91e7af87412..d79b3e81a95 100644
--- a/tst/testspecial/print-formatting.g.out
+++ b/tst/testspecial/print-formatting.g.out
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 gap> # test formatting status for stdout
 gap> old := PrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*", false);
 gap> PrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*");
-false
+rec( indent := false, linewrap := false )
 gap> Display(x -> x);
 function ( x )
 return x;
 end
 gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*", true);
 gap> PrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 gap> Display(x -> x);
 function ( x )
     return x;
 end
 gap> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*", old);;
 gap> PrintFormattingStatus("*stdout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 gap> 
 gap> # test formatting status for errout
 gap> 1/0; # trigger a break loop
@@ -25,22 +25,22 @@ Error, Rational operations: <divisor> must not be zero
 not in any function at *stdin*:14
 type 'quit;' to quit to outer loop
 brk> old := PrintFormattingStatus("*errout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 brk> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*errout*", false);
 brk> PrintFormattingStatus("*errout*");
-false
+rec( indent := false, linewrap := false )
 brk> Display(x -> x);
 function ( x )
 return x;
 end
 brk> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*errout*", true);
 brk> PrintFormattingStatus("*errout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 brk> Display(x -> x);
 function ( x )
     return x;
 end
 brk> SetPrintFormattingStatus("*errout*", old);;
 brk> PrintFormattingStatus("*errout*");
-true
+rec( indent := true, linewrap := true )
 brk> QUIT;