diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0e8c492..bc2019c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ In either case, the format is the same. For example, if adding via `setup()`:
 ```lua
 local my_fileformat = {
     left = 'print "',
+    left_var = 'print "', -- `left_var` is optional, for 'variable' lines only; `left` will be used if it's not present
     right = '"',
     mid_var = "${",
     right_var = '}"',
@@ -274,10 +275,10 @@ configuration.
 
 The keys in the configuration are used like this:
 
-| Debug line type     | Default keys            | How debug line is constructed                                                                                               |
-| ------------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| Plain debug line    | `g?p`/`g?P`             | `my_fileformat.left .. "auto-gen DEBUG string" .. my_fileformat.right`                                                      |
-| Variable debug line | `g?v`/`g?V`/`g?o`/`g?O` | `my_fileformat.left .. "auto-gen DEBUG string, variable=" .. my_file_format.mid_var .. variable .. my_fileformat.right_var` |
+| Debug line type     | Default keys            | How debug line is constructed                                                                                                                           |
+| ------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| Plain debug line    | `g?p`/`g?P`             | `my_fileformat.left .. "auto-gen DEBUG string" .. my_fileformat.right`                                                                                  |
+| Variable debug line | `g?v`/`g?V`/`g?o`/`g?O` | `my_fileformat.left_var (or my_fileformat.left) .. "auto-gen DEBUG string, variable=" .. my_file_format.mid_var .. variable .. my_fileformat.right_var` |
 
 If it helps to understand these, you can look at the built-in configurations in
 [filetypes.lua](lua/debugprint/filetypes.lua).
diff --git a/lua/debugprint/filetypes.lua b/lua/debugprint/filetypes.lua
index 2a80026..6ed38a9 100644
--- a/lua/debugprint/filetypes.lua
+++ b/lua/debugprint/filetypes.lua
@@ -145,7 +145,8 @@ return {
     },
     -- Don't print to stderr by default, because it requires 'import sys'
     ["python"] = {
-        left = 'print(f"',
+        left = 'print("',
+        left_var = 'print(f"',
         right = '")',
         mid_var = "{",
         right_var = '}")',
diff --git a/lua/debugprint/init.lua b/lua/debugprint/init.lua
index 1d4e218..201d2e2 100644
--- a/lua/debugprint/init.lua
+++ b/lua/debugprint/init.lua
@@ -171,7 +171,15 @@ local addline = function(opts)
     local line_to_insert_linenr
 
     if opts.variable_name then
-        line_to_insert_content = fileconfig.left
+        local left
+
+        if fileconfig["left_var"] ~= nil then
+            left = fileconfig["left_var"]
+        else
+            left = fileconfig["left"]
+        end
+
+        line_to_insert_content = left
             .. debuginfo(opts)
             .. fileconfig.mid_var
             .. opts.variable_name
diff --git a/tests/debugprint.lua b/tests/debugprint.lua
index 2707a14..cb2a16c 100644
--- a/tests/debugprint.lua
+++ b/tests/debugprint.lua
@@ -1391,7 +1391,7 @@ describe("check python indenting", function()
 
         check_lines({
             "x = 1",
-            'print(f"DEBUGPRINT[1]: ' .. filename .. ':1 (after x = 1)")',
+            'print("DEBUGPRINT[1]: ' .. filename .. ':1 (after x = 1)")',
             "y = 2",
         })
     end)
@@ -1406,7 +1406,7 @@ describe("check python indenting", function()
 
         check_lines({
             "def xyz():",
-            '    print(f"DEBUGPRINT[1]: '
+            '    print("DEBUGPRINT[1]: '
                 .. filename
                 .. ':1 (after def xyz():)")',
             "    pass",
@@ -1418,14 +1418,31 @@ describe("check python indenting", function()
             "def xyz():",
             "    x = 1",
             "    y = 2",
-        }, "python", 2, 0)
+        }, "python", 2, 5)
 
         feedkeys("g?p")
 
         check_lines({
             "def xyz():",
             "    x = 1",
-            '    print(f"DEBUGPRINT[1]: ' .. filename .. ':2 (after x = 1)")',
+            '    print("DEBUGPRINT[1]: ' .. filename .. ':2 (after x = 1)")',
+            "    y = 2",
+        })
+    end)
+
+    it("variable", function()
+        local filename = init_file({
+            "def xyz():",
+            "    x = 1",
+            "    y = 2",
+        }, "python", 2, 4)
+
+        feedkeys("g?v<CR>")
+
+        check_lines({
+            "def xyz():",
+            "    x = 1",
+            '    print(f"DEBUGPRINT[1]: ' .. filename .. ':2: x={x}")',
             "    y = 2",
         })
     end)