diff --git a/lib/reporters/base.js b/lib/reporters/base.js
index bec43e58f5..fac16f3b24 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/base.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/base.js
@@ -190,8 +190,10 @@ exports.list = function(failures){
         && expected !== undefined) {
 
       escape = false;
-      err.actual = actual = utils.stringify(actual);
-      err.expected = expected = utils.stringify(expected);
+      if (!(utils.isString(actual) && utils.isString(expected))) {
+        err.actual = actual = utils.stringify(actual);
+        err.expected = expected = utils.stringify(expected);
+      }
 
       fmt = color('error title', '  %s) %s:\n%s') + color('error stack', '\n%s\n');
       var match = message.match(/^([^:]+): expected/);
diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index 3650a707cc..12c4ea6850 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@ exports.forEach = function(arr, fn, scope){
     fn.call(scope, arr[i], i);
 };
 
+/**
+ * Test if the given obj is type of string
+ *
+ * @param {Object} obj
+ * @returns Boolean
+ */
+
+exports.isString = function(obj) {
+  return 'string' === typeof obj;
+};
+
 /**
  * Array#map (<=IE8)
  *
diff --git a/test/reporters/base.js b/test/reporters/base.js
index b5de60b3f2..527697971c 100644
--- a/test/reporters/base.js
+++ b/test/reporters/base.js
@@ -88,24 +88,27 @@ describe('Base reporter', function () {
 
   });
 
-  it('should show string diff as raw data', function () {
-    var err = new Error('test'),
-      errOut;
-
-    err.actual = 'foo\nbar';
-    err.expected = 'foo\nbaz';
-    err.showDiff = true;
-    var test = makeTest(err);
+  describe('Getting two strings', function() {
+    // Fix regression V1.2.1(see: issue #1241)
+    it('should show strings diff as is', function () {
+      var err = new Error('test'),
+        errOut;
+
+      err.actual = 'foo\nbar';
+      err.expected = 'foo\nbaz';
+      err.showDiff = true;
+      var test = makeTest(err);
 
-    Base.list([test]);
+      Base.list([test]);
 
-    errOut = stdout.join('\n');
+      errOut = stdout.join('\n');
 
-    errOut.should.match(/"foo\\nbar"/);
-    errOut.should.match(/"foo\\nbaz"/);
-    errOut.should.match(/test/);
-    errOut.should.match(/actual/);
-    errOut.should.match(/expected/);
+      errOut.should.not.match(/"foo\\nbar"/);
+      errOut.should.match(/foo/).and.match(/bar/);
+      errOut.should.match(/test/);
+      errOut.should.match(/actual/);
+      errOut.should.match(/expected/);
+    });
   });
 
   it('should stringify objects', function () {