Index: utils/lit/lit/Test.py
===================================================================
--- utils/lit/lit/Test.py
+++ utils/lit/lit/Test.py
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import os
 from xml.sax.saxutils import escape
 from json import JSONEncoder
+try:
+    basestring
+except NameError:
+    basestring = str # python3 compatibility
 
 # Test result codes.
 
@@ -76,6 +80,16 @@
     def todata(self):
         return self.value
 
+class StringMetricValue(MetricValue):
+    def __init__(self, value):
+        self.value = value
+
+    def format(self):
+        return self.value
+
+    def todata(self):
+        return self.value
+
 class JSONMetricValue(MetricValue):
     """
         JSONMetricValue is used for types that are representable in the output
@@ -106,6 +120,8 @@
         return IntMetricValue(value)
     elif isinstance(value, float):
         return RealMetricValue(value)
+    elif isinstance(value, basestring):
+        return StringMetricValue(value)
     else:
         # Try to create a JSONMetricValue and let the constructor throw
         # if value is not a valid type.