diff --git a/zapcore/field.go b/zapcore/field.go
index ef46656be..7e255d63e 100644
--- a/zapcore/field.go
+++ b/zapcore/field.go
@@ -205,18 +205,23 @@ func addFields(enc ObjectEncoder, fields []Field) {
 	}
 }
 
-func encodeStringer(key string, stringer interface{}, enc ObjectEncoder) (err error) {
+func encodeStringer(key string, stringer interface{}, enc ObjectEncoder) (retErr error) {
+	// Try to capture panics (from nil references or otherwise) when calling
+	// the String() method, similar to https://golang.org/src/fmt/print.go#L540
 	defer func() {
-		if v := recover(); v != nil {
-			val := reflect.ValueOf(stringer)
-			if val.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && val.IsNil() {
+		if err := recover(); err != nil {
+			// If it's a nil pointer, just say "<nil>". The likeliest causes are a
+			// Stringer that fails to guard against nil or a nil pointer for a
+			// value receiver, and in either case, "<nil>" is a nice result.
+			if v := reflect.ValueOf(stringer); v.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && v.IsNil() {
 				enc.AddString(key, "<nil>")
-			} else {
-				err = fmt.Errorf("PANIC=%v", v)
+				return
 			}
+
+			retErr = fmt.Errorf("PANIC=%v", err)
 		}
 	}()
 
 	enc.AddString(key, stringer.(fmt.Stringer).String())
-	return
+	return nil
 }