diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 62a6c77..9a06403 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,10 +55,11 @@ require("nvim-dap-virtual-text").setup {
     --- @param options nvim_dap_virtual_text_options Current options for nvim-dap-virtual-text
     --- @return string|nil A text how the virtual text should be displayed or nil, if this variable shouldn't be displayed
     display_callback = function(variable, buf, stackframe, node, options)
+    -- by default, strip out new line characters
       if options.virt_text_pos == 'inline' then
-        return ' = ' .. variable.value
+        return ' = ' .. variable.value:gsub("%s+", " ")
       else
-        return variable.name .. ' = ' .. variable.value
+        return variable.name .. ' = ' .. variable.value:gsub("%s+", " ")
       end
     end,
     -- position of virtual text, see `:h nvim_buf_set_extmark()`, default tries to inline the virtual text. Use 'eol' to set to end of line
diff --git a/lua/nvim-dap-virtual-text.lua b/lua/nvim-dap-virtual-text.lua
index 5c787e7..8c83992 100755
--- a/lua/nvim-dap-virtual-text.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-dap-virtual-text.lua
@@ -83,10 +83,11 @@ local options = {
   --- @return string|nil text how the virtual text should be displayed or nil, if this variable shouldn't be displayed
   --- @diagnostic disable-next-line: unused-local
   display_callback = function(variable, buf, stackframe, node, options)
+    -- by default, strip out new line characters
     if options.virt_text_pos == 'inline' then
-      return ' = ' .. variable.value
+      return ' = ' .. variable.value:gsub('%s+', ' ')
     else
-      return variable.name .. ' = ' .. variable.value
+      return variable.name .. ' = ' .. variable.value:gsub('%s+', ' ')
     end
   end,
 }