diff --git a/debugger/debugger.pp b/debugger/debugger.pp
index 4db68671df..d4c674e210 100644
--- a/debugger/debugger.pp
+++ b/debugger/debugger.pp
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ type
 (******************************************************************************)
 
   type
-  TDBGSymbolKind = (skClass, skRecord, skEnum, skSet, skProcedure, skFunction, skSimple, skPointer);
+  TDBGSymbolKind = (skClass, skRecord, skEnum, skSet, skProcedure, skFunction, skSimple, skPointer, skVariant);
   TDBGFieldLocation = (flPrivate, flProtected, flPublic, flPublished);
   TDBGFieldFlag = (ffVirtual,ffConstructor,ffDestructor);
   TDBGFieldFlags = set of TDBGFieldFlag;
diff --git a/debugger/gdbmidebugger.pp b/debugger/gdbmidebugger.pp
index 630339cca4..a343a75863 100644
--- a/debugger/gdbmidebugger.pp
+++ b/debugger/gdbmidebugger.pp
@@ -2365,11 +2365,10 @@ begin
         end;
       end;
 
+      skVariant: begin
+        AResult := GetVariantValue(AResult);
+      end;
       skRecord: begin
-        if (ResultInfo.TypeName = 'Variant') or
-           (ResultInfo.TypeName = 'VARIANT') then
-          AResult := GetVariantValue(AResult)
-        else
         if (ResultInfo.TypeName = 'ShortString') or
            (ResultInfo.TypeName = 'SHORTSTRING') then
           AResult := AResult // don't show 'record ShortString' as this is debug info implementation details
diff --git a/debugger/gdbtypeinfo.pp b/debugger/gdbtypeinfo.pp
index da7714053d..5fefa5c7e2 100644
--- a/debugger/gdbtypeinfo.pp
+++ b/debugger/gdbtypeinfo.pp
@@ -261,7 +261,12 @@ var
     S: String;
     Field: TDBGField;
   begin
-    FKind := skRecord;
+    if (FTypeName = 'Variant') or
+       (FTypeName = 'VARIANT') then
+       FKind := skVariant
+    else
+      FKind := skRecord;
+
     FFields := TDBGFields.Create;
 
     //concatenate all lines and skip last end
diff --git a/debugger/inspectdlg.lfm b/debugger/inspectdlg.lfm
index 28e5f68dfb..fd104ed74d 100644
--- a/debugger/inspectdlg.lfm
+++ b/debugger/inspectdlg.lfm
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ inherited IDEInspectDlg: TIDEInspectDlg
   ClientWidth = 295
   Constraints.MinHeight = 200
   Constraints.MinWidth = 200
+  KeyPreview = True
   OnClose = FormClose
+  OnKeyDown = FormKeyDown
   object StatusBar1: TStatusBar[0]
     Left = 0
     Height = 23
diff --git a/debugger/inspectdlg.lrs b/debugger/inspectdlg.lrs
index 700c634a3f..796e334d02 100644
--- a/debugger/inspectdlg.lrs
+++ b/debugger/inspectdlg.lrs
@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@ LazarusResources.Add('TIDEInspectDlg','FORMDATA',[
   'TPF0'#241#14'TIDEInspectDlg'#13'IDEInspectDlg'#4'Left'#3'n'#1#6'Height'#3#151
   +#1#3'Top'#3#185#0#5'Width'#3''''#1#11'BorderStyle'#7#13'bsSizeToolWin'#7'Cap'
   +'tion'#6#13'IDEInspectDlg'#12'ClientHeight'#3#151#1#11'ClientWidth'#3''''#1
-  +#21'Constraints.MinHeight'#3#200#0#20'Constraints.MinWidth'#3#200#0#7'OnClos'
-  +'e'#7#9'FormClose'#0#242#2#0#10'TStatusBar'#10'StatusBar1'#4'Left'#2#0#6'Hei'
-  +'ght'#2#23#3'Top'#3#128#1#5'Width'#3''''#1#6'Panels'#14#0#0#0#242#2#1#12'TPa'
-  +'geControl'#11'PageControl'#4'Left'#2#0#6'Height'#3'k'#1#3'Top'#2#21#5'Width'
-  +#3''''#1#10'ActivePage'#7#8'DataPage'#5'Align'#7#8'alClient'#8'TabIndex'#2#0
-  +#8'TabOrder'#2#1#0#9'TTabSheet'#8'DataPage'#7'Caption'#6#8'DataPage'#0#0#9'T'
-  +'TabSheet'#14'PropertiesPage'#7'Caption'#6#14'PropertiesPage'#0#0#9'TTabShee'
-  +'t'#11'MethodsPage'#7'Caption'#6#11'MethodsPage'#0#0#0#242#2#2#5'TEdit'#13'E'
-  +'ditInspected'#4'Left'#2#0#6'Height'#2#21#3'Top'#2#0#5'Width'#3''''#1#5'Alig'
-  +'n'#7#5'alTop'#7'Enabled'#8#8'ReadOnly'#9#8'TabOrder'#2#2#4'Text'#6#5'(...)'
-  +#0#0#0
+  +#21'Constraints.MinHeight'#3#200#0#20'Constraints.MinWidth'#3#200#0#10'KeyPr'
+  +'eview'#9#7'OnClose'#7#9'FormClose'#9'OnKeyDown'#7#11'FormKeyDown'#0#242#2#0
+  +#10'TStatusBar'#10'StatusBar1'#4'Left'#2#0#6'Height'#2#23#3'Top'#3#128#1#5'W'
+  +'idth'#3''''#1#6'Panels'#14#0#0#0#242#2#1#12'TPageControl'#11'PageControl'#4
+  +'Left'#2#0#6'Height'#3'k'#1#3'Top'#2#21#5'Width'#3''''#1#10'ActivePage'#7#8
+  +'DataPage'#5'Align'#7#8'alClient'#8'TabIndex'#2#0#8'TabOrder'#2#1#0#9'TTabSh'
+  +'eet'#8'DataPage'#7'Caption'#6#8'DataPage'#0#0#9'TTabSheet'#14'PropertiesPag'
+  +'e'#7'Caption'#6#14'PropertiesPage'#0#0#9'TTabSheet'#11'MethodsPage'#7'Capti'
+  +'on'#6#11'MethodsPage'#0#0#0#242#2#2#5'TEdit'#13'EditInspected'#4'Left'#2#0#6
+  +'Height'#2#21#3'Top'#2#0#5'Width'#3''''#1#5'Align'#7#5'alTop'#7'Enabled'#8#8
+  +'ReadOnly'#9#8'TabOrder'#2#2#4'Text'#6#5'(...)'#0#0#0
 ]);
diff --git a/debugger/inspectdlg.pas b/debugger/inspectdlg.pas
index 0ffc58aa30..5a86650e80 100644
--- a/debugger/inspectdlg.pas
+++ b/debugger/inspectdlg.pas
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ interface
 uses
   Classes, SysUtils, TypInfo, FileUtil, LResources, Forms, Controls, Graphics,
   Dialogs, ComCtrls, ObjectInspector, PropEdits, Debugger, DebuggerDlg, BaseDebugManager,
-  LazarusIDEStrConsts, IDEWindowIntf,LCLProc,Grids, StdCtrls;
+  LazarusIDEStrConsts, IDEWindowIntf, LCLProc, LCLType, Grids, StdCtrls;
 
 type
 
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ type
     PropertiesPage: TTabSheet;
     MethodsPage: TTabSheet;
     procedure FormClose(Sender: TObject; var CloseAction: TCloseAction);
+    procedure FormKeyDown(Sender: TObject; var Key: Word; Shift: TShiftState);
   private
     FDataGridHook,
     FPropertiesGridHook,
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ type
     procedure Localize;
     procedure InspectClass;
     procedure InspectRecord;
+    procedure InspectVariant;
     procedure InspectSimple;
     procedure InspectPointer;
     procedure GridDataSetup;
@@ -90,6 +92,13 @@ begin
   IDEDialogLayoutList.SaveLayout(Self);
 end;
 
+procedure TIDEInspectDlg.FormKeyDown(Sender: TObject; var Key: Word;
+  Shift: TShiftState);
+begin
+  if Key = VK_ESCAPE then
+    Close;
+end;
+
 procedure TIDEInspectDlg.Localize;
 begin
   Caption := lisInspectDialog;
@@ -100,9 +109,9 @@ end;
 
 procedure TIDEInspectDlg.InspectClass;
 begin
-  DataPage.Visible:=true;
-  PropertiesPage.Visible:=false;
-  MethodsPage.Visible:=true;
+  DataPage.TabVisible:=true;
+  PropertiesPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  MethodsPage.TabVisible:=true;
 
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo) then exit;
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo.Fields) then exit;
@@ -117,20 +126,32 @@ begin
   FGridMethods.AutoSizeColumn(3);
 end;
 
+procedure TIDEInspectDlg.InspectVariant;
+begin
+  DataPage.TabVisible:=true;
+  PropertiesPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  MethodsPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  if not Assigned(FDBGInfo) then exit;
+  EditInspected.Text:=FExpression+' : Variant';
+  GridDataSetup;
+  FGridData.Cells[0,1]:=FExpression;
+  FGridData.Cells[1,1]:='Variant';
+  FGridData.Cells[2,1]:=FHumanReadable;
+  FGridData.AutoSizeColumn(1);
+end;
+
 procedure TIDEInspectDlg.InspectRecord;
 begin
-  DataPage.Visible:=true;
-  PropertiesPage.Visible:=false;
-  MethodsPage.Visible:=false;
+  DataPage.TabVisible:=true;
+  PropertiesPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  MethodsPage.TabVisible:=false;
 
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo) then exit;
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo.Fields) then exit;
   EditInspected.Text:=FExpression+' : '+FDBGInfo.TypeName;
   GridDataSetup;
   // handle special records
-  if (FDBGInfo.TypeName = 'VARIANT') or
-     (FDBGInfo.TypeName = 'Variant') or
-     (FDBGInfo.TypeName = 'ShortString') or
+  if (FDBGInfo.TypeName = 'ShortString') or
      (FDBGInfo.TypeName = 'SHORTSTRING') then
   begin
     FGridData.Cells[0,1]:=FExpression;
@@ -144,6 +165,9 @@ end;
 
 procedure TIDEInspectDlg.InspectSimple;
 begin
+  DataPage.TabVisible:=true;
+  PropertiesPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  MethodsPage.TabVisible:=false;
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo) then exit;
   EditInspected.Text:=FExpression+' : '+FDBGInfo.TypeName + ' = ' + FDBGInfo.Value.AsString;
   GridDataSetup;
@@ -155,6 +179,9 @@ end;
 
 procedure TIDEInspectDlg.InspectPointer;
 begin
+  DataPage.TabVisible:=true;
+  PropertiesPage.TabVisible:=false;
+  MethodsPage.TabVisible:=false;
   if not Assigned(FDBGInfo) then exit;
   EditInspected.Text:=FExpression+' : ^'+FDBGInfo.TypeName + ' = ' + FDBGInfo.Value.AsString;
   GridDataSetup;
@@ -251,6 +278,13 @@ begin
           FGridData.Cells[1,k]:='Record '+FDBGInfo.Fields[j].DBGType.TypeName;
           FGridData.Cells[2,k]:=FDBGInfo.Fields[j].DBGType.Value.AsString;
         end;
+      skVariant:
+        begin
+          inc(k);
+          FGridData.Cells[0,k]:=FDBGInfo.Fields[j].Name;
+          FGridData.Cells[1,k]:='Variant';
+          FGridData.Cells[2,k]:=FDBGInfo.Fields[j].DBGType.Value.AsString;
+        end;
       skProcedure:
         begin
         end;
@@ -376,6 +410,7 @@ begin
   case FDBGInfo.Kind of
     skClass: InspectClass();
     skRecord: InspectRecord();
+    skVariant: InspectVariant();
   //  skEnum: ;
   //  skSet: ;
   //  skProcedure: ;