diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index bb3c2db..f6946da 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -133,7 +133,10 @@ export function inspect(value, options) {
   // If `options.customInspect` is set to true then try to use the custom inspector
   if (customInspect && value) {
     const output = inspectCustom(value, options, type)
-    if (output) return inspect(output, options)
+    if (output) {
+      if (typeof output === 'string') return output
+      return inspect(output, options)
+    }
   }
 
   const proto = value ? Object.getPrototypeOf(value) : false
diff --git a/test/acceptance.js b/test/acceptance.js
index 444881c..915b8a0 100644
--- a/test/acceptance.js
+++ b/test/acceptance.js
@@ -28,9 +28,16 @@ describe('objects', () => {
 
   it('uses custom inspect function if `customInspect` is turned on', () => {
     const obj = {
-      inspect: () => 1,
+      inspect: () => 'abc',
+    }
+    expect(inspect(obj, { customInspect: true })).to.equal('abc')
+  })
+
+  it('inspects custom inspect function result', () => {
+    const obj = {
+      inspect: () => ['foobarbazbing'],
     }
-    expect(inspect(obj, { customInspect: true })).to.equal('1')
+    expect(inspect(obj, { customInspect: true, truncate: 15 })).to.equal("[ 'foobarba…' ]")
   })
 
   it('uses a custom deeply nested inspect function if `customInspect` is turned on', () => {
@@ -39,7 +46,7 @@ describe('objects', () => {
         inspect: (depth, options) => options.stylize('Object content', 'string'),
       },
     }
-    expect(inspect(obj, { customInspect: true })).to.equal("{ sub: 'Object content' }")
+    expect(inspect(obj, { customInspect: true })).to.equal('{ sub: Object content }')
   })
 
   it('inspect with custom object-returning inspect', () => {