diff --git a/winsup/cygwin/smallprint.cc b/winsup/cygwin/smallprint.cc
index e7a9f530f..fa7706b47 100644
--- a/winsup/cygwin/smallprint.cc
+++ b/winsup/cygwin/smallprint.cc
@@ -146,7 +146,17 @@ __small_vsprintf (char *dst, const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 		  l_opt = true;
 		  continue;
 		case 'c':
-		  *dst++ = (char) (va_arg (ap, int) & 0xff);
+		  {
+		    unsigned char c = (va_arg (ap, int) & 0xff); 
+		    if (isprint (c) || pad != '0')
+		      *dst++ = c;
+		    else
+                      {
+                        *dst++ = '0';
+                        *dst++ = 'x';
+                        dst = __rn (dst, 16, 0, c, len, pad, LMASK);
+                      }
+		  }
 		  break;
 		case 'C':
 		  {