diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNode.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNode.java
index b8b2684471..7056854b2d 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNode.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNode.java
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.StringJoiner;
+import java.util.regex.Matcher;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import javax.swing.tree.MutableTreeNode;
 import javax.swing.tree.TreeNode;
 
@@ -52,13 +55,16 @@ public class VariableNode implements MutableTreeNode {
   public static final int TYPE_SHORT = 10;
   public static final int TYPE_VOID = 11;
 
+  private static final Pattern ARRAY_REGEX = Pattern.compile(
+    "^(?<prefix>[^\\[]+)(?<unbounded>(\\[\\])*)(?<bounded>(\\[\\d+\\])+)(?<unneeded>[^\\[]*)$"
+  );
+
   protected String type;
   protected String name;
   protected Value value;
   protected List<MutableTreeNode> children = new ArrayList<>();
   protected MutableTreeNode parent;
 
-
   /**
    * Construct a {@link VariableNode}.
    * @param name the name
@@ -88,22 +94,21 @@ public Value getValue() {
    * @return a String representing the value.
    */
   public String getStringValue() {
-    String str;
-    if (value != null) {
-      if (getType() == TYPE_OBJECT) {
-        str = "instance of " + type;
-      } else if (getType() == TYPE_ARRAY) {
-        //instance of int[5] (id=998) --> instance of int[5]
-        str = value.toString().substring(0, value.toString().lastIndexOf(" "));
-      } else if (getType() == TYPE_STRING) {
-        str = ((StringReference) value).value(); // use original string value (without quotes)
-      } else {
-        str = value.toString();
-      }
+    if (value == null) {
+      return "null";
+    }
+
+    int typeDescriptor = getType();
+    if (typeDescriptor == TYPE_OBJECT) {
+      return "instance of " + type;
+    } else if (typeDescriptor == TYPE_ARRAY) {
+      return describeArray(value.toString());
+    } else if (typeDescriptor == TYPE_STRING) {
+      // use original string value (without quotes)
+      return ((StringReference) value).value();
     } else {
-      str = "null";
+      return value.toString();
     }
-    return str;
   }
 
 
@@ -380,4 +385,27 @@ public int hashCode() {
     hash = 97 * hash + (this.value != null ? this.value.hashCode() : 0);
     return hash;
   }
+
+
+  /**
+   * Describe an array in a human friendly description.
+   * 
+   * @see Issue #606
+   * @param fullDescrition The full description of the array like "instance of
+   *    int[5] (id=998)" or "instance of int[][5] (id=998)"
+   * @return Human-friendly description like "instance of int[5]" or
+   *    "instance of int[5][]".
+   */
+  private String describeArray(String fullDescription) {
+    Matcher matcher = ARRAY_REGEX.matcher(fullDescription);
+    StringJoiner joiner = new StringJoiner("");
+    if (!matcher.matches()) {
+      return fullDescription;
+    }
+    
+    joiner.add(matcher.group("prefix")); // Type without brackets
+    joiner.add(matcher.group("bounded")); // Brackets with numbers
+    joiner.add(matcher.group("unbounded")); // Brackets without numbers
+    return joiner.toString();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/java/test/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNodeTests.java b/java/test/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNodeTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..427f902150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/java/test/processing/mode/java/debug/VariableNodeTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package processing.mode.java.debug;
+
+import com.sun.jdi.StringReference;
+import com.sun.jdi.Value;
+
+import org.junit.Assert;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.mockito.Mockito;
+
+
+public class VariableNodeTests {
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeNull() {
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "null", null);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "null");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeInt() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("5");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "5");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeFloat() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("5.5");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "float", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "5.5");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeObject() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("5.5");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "Other", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of Other");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeString() {
+    Value value = buildMockString("testing");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "java.lang.String", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "testing");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeSimpleArray() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[5] (id=998)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[5]");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeNestedArraySingleDimensionUnknown() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[][5] (id=998)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[][]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[5][]");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeNestedArrayMultiDimensionUnknown() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[][][5] (id=998)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[][][]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[5][][]");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeNestedArrayMixed() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[][][5][7] (id=998)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[][][][]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[5][7][][]");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeArrayFailsafe() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[x][7] (id=98)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[][][][]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[x][7] (id=98)");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void describeArrayUnexpectedOrder() {
+    Value value = buildMockValue("instance of int[7][] (id=98)");
+    VariableNode node = new VariableNode("test", "int[][][][]", value);
+    Assert.assertEquals(node.getStringValue(), "instance of int[7][] (id=98)");
+  }
+
+  private Value buildMockValue(String toStringValue) {
+    Value value = Mockito.mock(Value.class);
+    Mockito.when(value.toString()).thenReturn(toStringValue);
+    return value;
+  }
+
+  private StringReference buildMockString(String innerValue) {
+    StringReference value = Mockito.mock(StringReference.class);
+    Mockito.when(value.value()).thenReturn(innerValue);
+    return value;
+  }
+
+}