diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index daefde4..04ff70c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ PG_CPPFLAGS += -std=c11 $(PROTOBUF_C_CFLAGS) -I/usr/local/include
 SHLIB_LINK  += $(PROTOBUF_C_LDFLAGS) -L/usr/local/lib -llwgeom
 
 MODULE_big   = $(patsubst src/%.c,%,$(wildcard src/*.c))
-OBJS         = src/decoderbufs.o src/proto/pg_logicaldec.pb-c.o
+OBJS         = src/decoderbufs.o src/proto/pg_logicaldec.pb-c.o src/protobuf-c-text.o
 
 PG_CONFIG = pg_config
 PGXS := $(shell $(PG_CONFIG) --pgxs)
diff --git a/src/decoderbufs.c b/src/decoderbufs.c
index ba34503..b2251b2 100644
--- a/src/decoderbufs.c
+++ b/src/decoderbufs.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@
 #include "utils/typcache.h"
 #include "utils/uuid.h"
 #include "proto/pg_logicaldec.pb-c.h"
+#include "protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h"
+#include "protobuf-c-text.h"
 
 /* POSTGIS version define so it doesn't redef macros */
 #define POSTGIS_PGSQL_VERSION 94
@@ -254,6 +256,7 @@ static void row_message_destroy(Decoderbufs__RowMessage *msg) {
   }
 }
 
+
 /* only used for debug-mode (currently not all OIDs are currently supported) */
 static void print_tuple_msg(StringInfo out, Decoderbufs__DatumMessage **tup,
                             size_t n) {
@@ -602,22 +605,7 @@ static void pg_decode_change(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, ReorderBufferTXN *txn,
 
   if (data->debug_mode) {
     OutputPluginPrepareWrite(ctx, true);
-    if (rmsg.has_commit_time)
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, "commit_time[%" PRId64 "]", rmsg.commit_time);
-    if (rmsg.table)
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, ", table[%s]", rmsg.table);
-    if (rmsg.has_op)
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, ", op[%d]", rmsg.op);
-    if (rmsg.old_tuple) {
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, "\nOLD TUPLE: \n");
-      print_tuple_msg(ctx->out, rmsg.old_tuple, rmsg.n_old_tuple);
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, "\n");
-    }
-    if (rmsg.new_tuple) {
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, "\nNEW TUPLE: \n");
-      print_tuple_msg(ctx->out, rmsg.new_tuple, rmsg.n_new_tuple);
-      appendStringInfo(ctx->out, "\n");
-    }
+    protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(ctx->out, 0, (ProtobufCMessage*)&rmsg, &decoderbufs__row_message__descriptor);
     OutputPluginWrite(ctx, true);
   } else {
     OutputPluginPrepareWrite(ctx, true);
diff --git a/src/protobuf-c-text.c b/src/protobuf-c-text.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..008a8f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/protobuf-c-text.c
@@ -0,0 +1,348 @@
+#include "protobuf-c-text.h"
+
+/** Escape string.
+ *
+ * Add escape characters to strings for problematic characters.
+ *
+ * \param[in] src The unescaped string to process.
+ * \param[in] len Length of \c src. Note that \c src might have ASCII
+ *                \c NULs so strlen() isn't good enough here.
+ * \return The fully escaped string, or \c NULL if there has been an
+ *         allocation error.
+ */
+static char* esc_str(char *src, int len) {
+  int i, escapes = 0, dst_len = 0;
+  unsigned char *dst;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+    if (!isprint(src[i])) {
+      escapes++;
+    }
+  }
+  dst = palloc((escapes * 4) + ((len - escapes) * 2) + 1);
+  if (!dst) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+    switch (src[i]) {
+      /* Special cases. */
+      case '\'':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\'';
+        break;
+      case '\"':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\"';
+        break;
+      case '\\':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        break;
+      case '\n':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = 'n';
+        break;
+      case '\r':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = 'r';
+        break;
+      case '\t':
+        dst[dst_len++] = '\\';
+        dst[dst_len++] = 't';
+        break;
+
+      /* Escape with octal if !isprint. */
+      default:
+        if (!isprint(src[i])) {
+          dst_len += snprintf("\\%03o", dst + dst_len, src[i]);
+        } else {
+          dst[dst_len++] = src[i];
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+  dst[dst_len] = '\0';
+
+  return dst;
+}
+
+
+/** Internal function to back API function.
+ *
+ * Has a few extra params to better enable recursion.  This function gets
+ * called for each nested message as the \c ProtobufCMessage struct is
+ * traversed.
+ *
+ * \param[in,out] out The string being built up for the text format protobuf.
+ * \param[in] level Indent level - increments in 2's.
+ * \param[in] m The \c ProtobufCMessage being serialised.
+ * \param[in] d The descriptor for the \c ProtobufCMessage.
+ */
+static void protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(StringInfo out,
+                                               int level,
+                                               ProtobufCMessage *m,
+                                               const ProtobufCMessageDescriptor *d) {
+  int i;
+  size_t j, quantifier_offset;
+  double float_var;
+  const ProtobufCFieldDescriptor *f;
+  ProtobufCEnumDescriptor *enumd;
+  const ProtobufCEnumValue *enumv;
+
+  f = d->fields;
+  for (i = 0; i < d->n_fields; i++) {
+    /* Decide if something needs to be done for this field. */
+    switch (f[i].label) {
+      case PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_OPTIONAL:
+        if (f[i].type == PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_STRING) {
+          if (!STRUCT_MEMBER(char *, m, f[i].offset) || (STRUCT_MEMBER(char *, m, f[i].offset) == (char *)f[i].default_value)) {
+            continue;
+          }
+        } else if (f[i].type == PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_MESSAGE) {
+          if (!STRUCT_MEMBER(char *, m, f[i].offset)) {
+            continue;
+          }
+        } else {
+          if (!STRUCT_MEMBER(protobuf_c_boolean, m, f[i].quantifier_offset)) {
+            continue;
+          }
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED:
+        if (!STRUCT_MEMBER(size_t, m, f[i].quantifier_offset)) {
+          continue;
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+
+    quantifier_offset = STRUCT_MEMBER(size_t, m, f[i].quantifier_offset);
+    /* Field exists and has data, dump it. */
+    switch (f[i].type) {
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_INT32:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_UINT32:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_FIXED32:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %u\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(uint32_t *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %u\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(uint32_t, m, f[i].offset));
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_SINT32:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_SFIXED32:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %d\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(int32_t *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %d\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(int32_t, m, f[i].offset));
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_INT64:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_UINT64:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_FIXED64:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %lu\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(uint64_t *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %lu\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(uint64_t, m, f[i].offset));
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_SINT64:
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_SFIXED64:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %ld\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(int64_t *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %ld\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(int64_t, m, f[i].offset));
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_FLOAT:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            float_var = STRUCT_MEMBER(float *, m, f[i].offset)[j];
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %g\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                float_var);
+          }
+        } else {
+          float_var = STRUCT_MEMBER(float, m, f[i].offset);
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %g\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              float_var);
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_DOUBLE:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %g\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(double *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %g\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(double, m, f[i].offset));
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_BOOL:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %s\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(protobuf_c_boolean *, m, f[i].offset)[j]?
+                "true": "false");
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %s\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(protobuf_c_boolean, m, f[i].offset)?
+              "true": "false");
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_ENUM:
+        enumd = (ProtobufCEnumDescriptor *)f[i].descriptor;
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            enumv = protobuf_c_enum_descriptor_get_value(
+                enumd, STRUCT_MEMBER(int *, m, f[i].offset)[j]);
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: %s\n",
+                level, "", f[i].name,
+                enumv? enumv->name: "unknown");
+          }
+        } else {
+          enumv = protobuf_c_enum_descriptor_get_value(
+              enumd, STRUCT_MEMBER(int, m, f[i].offset));
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: %s\n",
+              level, "", f[i].name,
+              enumv? enumv->name: "unknown");
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_STRING:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            unsigned char *escaped;
+
+            escaped = esc_str(
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(unsigned char **, m, f[i].offset)[j],
+                strlen(STRUCT_MEMBER(unsigned char **, m, f[i].offset)[j]));
+            if (!escaped) {
+              return;
+            }
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: \"%s\"\n", level, "", f[i].name, escaped);
+            pfree(escaped);
+          }
+        } else {
+          unsigned char *escaped;
+
+          escaped = esc_str(STRUCT_MEMBER(unsigned char *, m, f[i].offset),
+              strlen(STRUCT_MEMBER(unsigned char *, m, f[i].offset)));
+          if (!escaped) {
+            return;
+          }
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: \"%s\"\n", level, "", f[i].name, escaped);
+          pfree(escaped);
+        }
+        break;
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_BYTES:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0; j < quantifier_offset; j++) {
+            unsigned char *escaped;
+
+            escaped = esc_str(
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCBinaryData *, m, f[i].offset)[j].data,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCBinaryData *, m, f[i].offset)[j].len);
+            if (!escaped) {
+              return;
+            }
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s: \"%s\"\n", level, "", f[i].name, escaped);
+            pfree(escaped);
+          }
+        } else {
+          unsigned char *escaped;
+
+          escaped = esc_str(
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCBinaryData, m, f[i].offset).data,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCBinaryData, m, f[i].offset).len);
+          if (!escaped) {
+            return;
+          }
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s: \"%s\"\n", level, "", f[i].name, escaped);
+          pfree(escaped);
+        }
+        break;
+
+      case PROTOBUF_C_TYPE_MESSAGE:
+        if (f[i].label == PROTOBUF_C_LABEL_REPEATED) {
+          for (j = 0;
+              j < STRUCT_MEMBER(size_t, m, f[i].quantifier_offset);
+              j++) {
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s%s {\n", level, "", f[i].name);
+            protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(out, level + 2,
+                STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCMessage **, m, f[i].offset)[j],
+                (ProtobufCMessageDescriptor *)f[i].descriptor);
+            appendStringInfo(out,
+                "%*s}\n", level, "");
+          }
+        } else {
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s%s {\n", level, "", f[i].name);
+          protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(out, level + 2,
+              STRUCT_MEMBER(ProtobufCMessage *, m, f[i].offset),
+              (ProtobufCMessageDescriptor *)f[i].descriptor);
+          appendStringInfo(out,
+              "%*s}\n", level, "");
+        }
+        break;
+      default:
+        return;
+        break;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+
+static void protobuf_c_text_to_string(StringInfo out, ProtobufCMessage *m) {
+  protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(out, 0, m, m->descriptor);
+}
diff --git a/src/protobuf-c-text.h b/src/protobuf-c-text.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..42dca77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/protobuf-c-text.h
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#ifndef PROTOBUF_C_TEXT_H
+#define PROTOBUF_C_TEXT_H
+
+#include "postgres.h"
+#include "lib/stringinfo.h"
+#include "protobuf-c/protobuf-c.h"
+
+
+/* BEGIN MACROS TAKEN FROM protobuf-c/protobuf-c.c */
+/**
+ * Internal `ProtobufCMessage` manipulation macro.
+ *
+ * Base macro for manipulating a `ProtobufCMessage`. Used by STRUCT_MEMBER() and
+ * STRUCT_MEMBER_PTR().
+ */
+#define STRUCT_MEMBER_P(struct_p, struct_offset) \
+    ((void *) ((uint8_t *) (struct_p) + (struct_offset)))
+
+/**
+ * Return field in a `ProtobufCMessage` based on offset.
+ *
+ * Take a pointer to a `ProtobufCMessage` and find the field at the offset.
+ * Cast it to the passed type.
+ */
+#define STRUCT_MEMBER(member_type, struct_p, struct_offset) \
+    (*(member_type *) STRUCT_MEMBER_P((struct_p), (struct_offset)))
+
+/**
+ * Return field in a `ProtobufCMessage` based on offset.
+ *
+ * Take a pointer to a `ProtobufCMessage` and find the field at the offset. Cast
+ * it to a pointer to the passed type.
+ */
+#define STRUCT_MEMBER_PTR(member_type, struct_p, struct_offset) \
+    ((member_type *) STRUCT_MEMBER_P((struct_p), (struct_offset)))
+/* END MACROS FROM protobuf-c/protobuf-c.c */
+
+
+/** Internal function to back API function.
+ *
+ * Has a few extra params to better enable recursion.  This function gets
+ * called for each nested message as the \c ProtobufCMessage struct is
+ * traversed.
+ *
+ * \param[in,out] out The string being used for the text format protobuf.
+ * \param[in] level Indent level - increments in 2's.
+ * \param[in] m The \c ProtobufCMessage being serialised.
+ * \param[in] d The descriptor for the \c ProtobufCMessage.
+ */
+extern void protobuf_c_text_to_string_internal(StringInfo out,
+                                               int level,
+                                               ProtobufCMessage *m,
+                                               const ProtobufCMessageDescriptor *d);
+
+extern void protobuf_c_text_to_string(StringInfo out, ProtobufCMessage *m);
+
+#endif /* PROTOBUF_C_TEXT_H */