diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
index 98fc8a90e..0d1d9c76d 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/artiq_ir_generator.py
@@ -1986,6 +1986,8 @@ class ARTIQIRGenerator(algorithm.Visitor):
             elif builtins.is_listish(value.type):
                 if builtins.is_list(value.type):
                     format_string += "["; flush()
+                elif builtins.is_bytes(value.type):
+                    format_string += "bytes(["; flush()
                 elif builtins.is_array(value.type):
                     format_string += "array(["; flush()
                 else:
@@ -2014,7 +2016,7 @@ class ARTIQIRGenerator(algorithm.Visitor):
 
                 if builtins.is_list(value.type):
                     format_string += "]"
-                elif builtins.is_array(value.type):
+                elif builtins.is_array(value.type) or builtins.is_bytes(value.type):
                     format_string += "])"
             elif builtins.is_range(value.type):
                 format_string += "range("; flush()
diff --git a/artiq/test/lit/integration/print.py b/artiq/test/lit/integration/print.py
index eb7fda126..bd5bf555f 100644
--- a/artiq/test/lit/integration/print.py
+++ b/artiq/test/lit/integration/print.py
@@ -33,3 +33,6 @@ print(range(10))
 
 # CHECK-L: array([1, 2])
 print(array([1, 2]))
+
+# CHECK-L: bytes([97, 98])
+print(b"ab")