diff --git a/include/fmt/format.h b/include/fmt/format.h
index 4697d3c7636f..84b34cfbe460 100644
--- a/include/fmt/format.h
+++ b/include/fmt/format.h
@@ -1907,11 +1907,19 @@ template <typename Char, typename OutputIt>
 FMT_CONSTEXPR auto write_char(OutputIt out, Char value,
                               const format_specs& specs) -> OutputIt {
   bool is_debug = specs.type() == presentation_type::debug;
-  return write_padded<Char>(out, specs, 1, [=](reserve_iterator<OutputIt> it) {
-    if (is_debug) return write_escaped_char(it, value);
-    *it++ = value;
-    return it;
-  });
+  size_t size = 1;
+  if (is_debug) {
+    counting_buffer<Char> buf;
+    write_escaped_char(basic_appender<Char>(buf), value);
+    size = buf.count();
+  }
+  return write_padded<Char>(out, specs, size,
+                            [=](reserve_iterator<OutputIt> it) {
+                              if (is_debug)
+                                return write_escaped_char(it, value);
+                              *it++ = value;
+                              return it;
+                            });
 }
 
 template <typename Char> class digit_grouping {
@@ -2269,6 +2277,12 @@ FMT_CONSTEXPR auto write(OutputIt out, basic_string_view<Char> s,
     return false;
   });
 
+  if (is_debug && s.size() == 0 && specs.precision != 0 &&
+      display_width < display_width_limit) {
+    ++display_width;
+    ++size;
+  }
+
   struct bounded_output_iterator {
     reserve_iterator<OutputIt> underlying_iterator;
     size_t bound;
diff --git a/test/format-test.cc b/test/format-test.cc
index ea65f0a3cec8..bd3c90f2a722 100644
--- a/test/format-test.cc
+++ b/test/format-test.cc
@@ -941,6 +941,7 @@ TEST(format_test, width) {
 
 TEST(format_test, debug_presentation) {
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:?}", ""), R"("")");
+  EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:1?}", ""), R"("")");
 
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:*<5.0?}", "\n"), R"(*****)");
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:*<5.1?}", "\n"), R"("****)");
@@ -1683,6 +1684,7 @@ TEST(format_test, format_char) {
 
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{}", '\n'), "\n");
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:?}", '\n'), "'\\n'");
+  EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:6?}", 'a'), "'a'   ");
   EXPECT_EQ(fmt::format("{:x}", '\xff'), "ff");
 }