diff --git a/src/pallet/config_file/format.clj b/src/pallet/config_file/format.clj
index 2c73532b..52fdc2d2 100644
--- a/src/pallet/config_file/format.clj
+++ b/src/pallet/config_file/format.clj
@@ -8,22 +8,33 @@
    The properties are written \"key value\", one per line.
      m                   a key-value map
      :separator chars    separator to use between key and value
-                         (default is a single space)"
-  [m & {:keys [separator] :or {separator " "}}]
+                         (default is a single space)
+     :value-formatter    function used to format values to strings"
+  [m & {:keys [separator value-formatter]
+        :or {separator " " value-formatter str}}]
   (string/join
    (map
-    (fn [[key-name value]] (format "%s%s%s\n" (name key-name) separator value))
+    (fn [[key-name value]]
+      (str (name key-name) separator (value-formatter value) \newline))
     m)))
 
 (defn sectioned-properties
   "A sectioned property file.
    This is modeled as a map of maps. The keys of the outer map are the section
-   names.  The inner maps are keyword value maps."
-  [m & {:keys [separator] :or {separator " = "}}]
+   names.  The inner maps are keyword value maps.
+
+   Options:
+     :separator chars    separator to use between key and value
+                         (default is a single space)
+     :value-formatter    function used to format values to strings"
+  [m & {:keys [separator value-formatter]
+        :or {separator " = " value-formatter str}}]
   (letfn [(format-section
             [[section-name kv-map]]
             (let [n (name section-name)
-                  vs (name-values kv-map :separator separator)]
+                  vs (name-values kv-map
+                                  :separator separator
+                                  :value-formatter value-formatter)]
               (if (string/blank? n)
                 vs
                 (format "[%s]\n%s\n" n vs))))]
diff --git a/test/pallet/config_file/format_test.clj b/test/pallet/config_file/format_test.clj
index f50513d6..95350431 100644
--- a/test/pallet/config_file/format_test.clj
+++ b/test/pallet/config_file/format_test.clj
@@ -15,4 +15,8 @@
   (is (= "a 1\nb some-path\n"
          (name-values (array-map :a 1 "b" "some-path"))))
   (is (= "a=1\nb=some-path\n"
-         (name-values (array-map :a 1 "b" "some-path") :separator "="))))
+         (name-values (array-map :a 1 "b" "some-path") :separator "=")))
+  (is (= "a=1\nb=\"some-path\"\n"
+         (name-values (array-map :a 1 "b" "some-path")
+                      :separator "="
+                      :value-formatter pr-str))))