diff --git a/src/testlib/qtest_network.h b/src/testlib/qtest_network.h
index 61f80a536c8..403a663ae2c 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtest_network.h
+++ b/src/testlib/qtest_network.h
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #ifndef QTEST_NETWORK_H
 #define QTEST_NETWORK_H
 
-#include <QtTest/qtest.h>
+#include <QtTest/qtesttostring.h>
 
 // enable NETWORK features
 #ifndef QT_NETWORK_LIB
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ inline char *toString<QHostAddress>(const QHostAddress &addr)
 
     return toString(addr.toString());
 }
+} // namespace QTest
 
 inline char *toString(QNetworkReply::NetworkError code)
 {
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ inline char *toString(QNetworkReply::NetworkError code)
 
 inline char *toString(const QNetworkCookie &cookie)
 {
-    return toString(cookie.toRawForm());
+    return QTest::toString(cookie.toRawForm());
 }
 
 inline char *toString(const QList<QNetworkCookie> &list)
@@ -69,11 +70,9 @@ inline char *toString(const QList<QNetworkCookie> &list)
         result.chop(2); // remove trailing ", "
     }
     result.append(')');
-    return toString(result);
+    return QTest::toString(result);
 }
 
-} // namespace QTest
-
 QT_END_NAMESPACE
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtest_widgets.h b/src/testlib/qtest_widgets.h
index 2b60d94fd7d..90ee3aa6aa4 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtest_widgets.h
+++ b/src/testlib/qtest_widgets.h
@@ -62,15 +62,16 @@ inline QByteArray toString(QSizePolicy sp)
 }
 
 } // namespace Internal
+} // namespace QTest
 
 inline char *toString(QSizePolicy::Policy p)
 {
-    return qstrdup(Internal::toString(p));
+    return qstrdup(QTest::Internal::toString(p));
 }
 
 inline char *toString(QSizePolicy::ControlTypes ct)
 {
-    return qstrdup(Internal::toString(ct).constData());
+    return qstrdup(QTest::Internal::toString(ct).constData());
 }
 
 inline char *toString(QSizePolicy::ControlType ct)
@@ -80,11 +81,9 @@ inline char *toString(QSizePolicy::ControlType ct)
 
 inline char *toString(QSizePolicy sp)
 {
-    return qstrdup(Internal::toString(sp).constData());
+    return qstrdup(QTest::Internal::toString(sp).constData());
 }
 
-} // namespace QTest
-
 QT_END_NAMESPACE
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtestcase.cpp b/src/testlib/qtestcase.cpp
index fb2b46d824b..75c36066af6 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtestcase.cpp
+++ b/src/testlib/qtestcase.cpp
@@ -1745,14 +1745,33 @@ void TestMethods::invokeTests(QObject *testObject) const
     QSignalDumper::endDump();
 }
 
+#if QT_DEPRECATED_SINCE(6, 8)
+static const char *functionRefFormatter(const void *f)
+{
+    auto formatter = static_cast<const qxp::function_ref<const char *()> *>(f);
+    return (*formatter)();
+};
+
 bool reportResult(bool success, qxp::function_ref<const char *()> lhs,
                   qxp::function_ref<const char *()> rhs,
                   const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
                   ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line)
 {
-    return QTestResult::reportResult(success, lhs, rhs, lhsExpr, rhsExpr, op, file, line);
+    return QTestResult::reportResult(success, &lhs, &rhs,
+                                     functionRefFormatter, functionRefFormatter,
+                                     lhsExpr, rhsExpr, op, file, line);
 }
+#endif // QT_DEPRECATED_SINCE(6, 8)
 
+bool reportResult(bool success, const void *lhs, const void *rhs,
+                  const char *(*lhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                  const char *(*rhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                  const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
+                  ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line)
+{
+    return QTestResult::reportResult(success, lhs, rhs, lhsFormatter, rhsFormatter,
+                                     lhsExpr, rhsExpr, op, file, line);
+}
 } // namespace QTest
 
 static void initEnvironment()
@@ -2748,7 +2767,12 @@ bool QTest::compare_helper(bool success, const char *failureMsg,
                            const char *actual, const char *expected,
                            const char *file, int line)
 {
-    return QTestResult::reportResult(success, actualVal, expectedVal, actual, expected,
+    auto functionRefFormatter = [](const void *f) {
+        auto formatter = static_cast<const qxp::function_ref<const char *()> *>(f);
+        return (*formatter)();
+    };
+    return QTestResult::reportResult(success, &actualVal, &expectedVal, functionRefFormatter,
+                                     functionRefFormatter, actual, expected,
                                      QTest::ComparisonOperation::CustomCompare,
                                      file, line, failureMsg);
 }
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtestcase.h b/src/testlib/qtestcase.h
index 06fbd25c9c0..6df20f81219 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtestcase.h
+++ b/src/testlib/qtestcase.h
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ do { \
         return QTest::reportResult(std::forward<decltype(qt_lhs_arg)>(qt_lhs_arg) \
                                    op \
                                    std::forward<decltype(qt_rhs_arg)>(qt_rhs_arg), \
-                                   [&qt_lhs_arg] { return QTest::toString(qt_lhs_arg); }, \
-                                   [&qt_rhs_arg] { return QTest::toString(qt_rhs_arg); }, \
+                                   qt_lhs_arg, qt_rhs_arg, \
                                    #lhs, #rhs, QTest::ComparisonOperation::opId, \
                                    __FILE__, __LINE__); \
     }(lhs, rhs)) { \
@@ -330,6 +329,18 @@ namespace QTest
 
     Q_TESTLIB_EXPORT QString formatTryTimeoutDebugMessage(q_no_char8_t::QUtf8StringView expr, int timeout, int actual);
 
+    template <typename T1> const char *genericToString(const void *arg)
+    {
+        using QTest::toString;
+        return toString(*static_cast<const T1 *>(arg));
+    }
+
+    template <> inline const char *genericToString<char *>(const void *arg)
+    {
+        using QTest::toString;
+        return toString(static_cast<const char *>(arg));
+    }
+
     // Exported so Qt Quick Test can also use it for generating backtraces upon crashes.
     Q_TESTLIB_EXPORT extern bool noCrashHandler;
 
@@ -644,10 +655,32 @@ namespace QTest
                        qMetaTypeId<T>())), actualStr, expected, file, line);
     }
 
+#if QT_DEPRECATED_SINCE(6, 8)
+    QT_DEPRECATED_VERSION_X_6_8("use the overload without qxp::function_ref")
     Q_TESTLIB_EXPORT bool reportResult(bool success, qxp::function_ref<const char*()> lhs,
                                        qxp::function_ref<const char*()> rhs,
                                        const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
                                        ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line);
+#endif // QT_DEPRECATED_SINCE(6, 8)
+
+    Q_TESTLIB_EXPORT bool reportResult(bool success, const void *lhs, const void *rhs,
+                                       const char *(*lhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                                       const char *(*rhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                                       const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
+                                       ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line);
+
+    template <typename T1, typename T2>
+    inline bool reportResult(bool result, const T1 &lhs, const T2 &rhs,
+                             const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
+                             ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line)
+    {
+        using D1 = std::decay_t<T1>;
+        using D2 = std::decay_t<T2>;
+        using Internal::genericToString;
+        return reportResult(result, std::addressof(lhs), std::addressof(rhs),
+                            genericToString<D1>, genericToString<D2>,
+                            lhsExpr, rhsExpr, op, file, line);
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtestcase.qdoc b/src/testlib/qtestcase.qdoc
index 973899e4d36..2eb060b9af6 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtestcase.qdoc
+++ b/src/testlib/qtestcase.qdoc
@@ -1608,7 +1608,8 @@
 */
 
 /*!
-    \fn char *QTest::toString(QSizePolicy::ControlType ct)
+    \fn char *toString(QSizePolicy::ControlType ct)
+    \relates QTest
     \overload
     \since 5.5
 
@@ -1616,7 +1617,8 @@
 */
 
 /*!
-    \fn char *QTest::toString(QSizePolicy::ControlTypes cts)
+    \fn char *toString(QSizePolicy::ControlTypes cts)
+    \relates QTest
     \overload
     \since 5.5
 
@@ -1624,7 +1626,8 @@
 */
 
 /*!
-    \fn char *QTest::toString(QSizePolicy::Policy p)
+    \fn char *toString(QSizePolicy::Policy p)
+    \relates QTest
     \overload
     \since 5.5
 
@@ -1632,7 +1635,8 @@
 */
 
 /*!
-    \fn char *QTest::toString(QSizePolicy sp)
+    \fn char *toString(QSizePolicy sp)
+    \relates QTest
     \overload
     \since 5.5
 
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtestresult.cpp b/src/testlib/qtestresult.cpp
index 093e9b58ef5..7c5ce9ce548 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtestresult.cpp
+++ b/src/testlib/qtestresult.cpp
@@ -628,8 +628,9 @@ static const char *failureMessageForOp(QTest::ComparisonOperation op)
     Q_UNREACHABLE_RETURN("");
 }
 
-bool QTestResult::reportResult(bool success, qxp::function_ref<const char *()> lhs,
-                               qxp::function_ref<const char *()> rhs,
+bool QTestResult::reportResult(bool success, const void *lhs, const void *rhs,
+                               const char *(*lhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                               const char *(*rhsFormatter)(const void*),
                                const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
                                QTest::ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line,
                                const char *failureMessage)
@@ -653,8 +654,8 @@ bool QTestResult::reportResult(bool success, qxp::function_ref<const char *()> l
         return checkStatement(success, msg, file, line);
     }
 
-    const std::unique_ptr<const char[]> lhsPtr{ lhs() };
-    const std::unique_ptr<const char[]> rhsPtr{ rhs() };
+    const std::unique_ptr<const char[]> lhsPtr{ lhsFormatter(lhs) };
+    const std::unique_ptr<const char[]> rhsPtr{ rhsFormatter(rhs) };
 
     if (!failureMessage)
         failureMessage = failureMessageForOp(op);
diff --git a/src/testlib/qtestresult_p.h b/src/testlib/qtestresult_p.h
index 48c2c34611b..52607cc2eef 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qtestresult_p.h
+++ b/src/testlib/qtestresult_p.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 #include <QtTest/qttestglobal.h>
 #include <QtCore/qstringfwd.h>
-#include <QtCore/qxpfunctional.h>
 #include <QtCore/private/qglobal_p.h>
 
 QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
@@ -102,8 +101,9 @@ public:
     static void setCurrentAppName(const char *appName);
     static const char *currentAppName();
 
-    static bool reportResult(bool success, qxp::function_ref<const char *()> lhs,
-                             qxp::function_ref<const char *()> rhs,
+    static bool reportResult(bool success, const void *lhs, const void *rhs,
+                             const char *(*lhsFormatter)(const void*),
+                             const char *(*rhsFormatter)(const void*),
                              const char *lhsExpr, const char *rhsExpr,
                              QTest::ComparisonOperation op, const char *file, int line,
                              const char *failureMessage = nullptr);
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.junitxml b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.junitxml
index f5d3a94126a..33c8bfe4035 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.junitxml
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.junitxml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   <testcase name="basics" classname="tst_TestLib" time="@TEST_DURATION@">
     <failure type="fail" message="Compared QObject pointers are not the same">
       <![CDATA[   Actual   (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"
-   Expected (nullptr)            : (nullptr)]]>
+   Expected (nullptr)            : "nullptr"]]>
     </failure>
   </testcase>
   <testcase name="delays" classname="tst_TestLib" time="@TEST_DURATION@"/>
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.lightxml b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.lightxml
index cd0f96d6d4e..76435eb9f0e 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.lightxml
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.lightxml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
     <Incident type="fail" file="qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp" line="0">
       <Description><![CDATA[Compared QObject pointers are not the same
    Actual   (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"
-   Expected (nullptr)            : (nullptr)]]></Description>
+   Expected (nullptr)            : "nullptr"]]></Description>
     </Incident>
     <Duration msecs="0"/>
   </TestFunction>
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.tap b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.tap
index 4a6056bc77d..1fa7dc77c44 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.tap
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.tap
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ not ok 2 - basics()
   ---
   type: QCOMPARE
   message: Compared QObject pointers are not the same
-  wanted: (nullptr) (nullptr)
+  wanted: "nullptr" (nullptr)
   found: tst_TestLib/"TestObject" (QTest::testObject())
-  expected: (nullptr) (nullptr)
+  expected: "nullptr" (nullptr)
   actual: tst_TestLib/"TestObject" (QTest::testObject())
   at: tst_TestLib::basics() (qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp:0)
   file: qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.teamcity b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.teamcity
index 279ef03f3f4..52f7fa244c3 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.teamcity
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.teamcity
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ##teamcity[testStarted name='initTestCase()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
 ##teamcity[testFinished name='initTestCase()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
 ##teamcity[testStarted name='basics()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
-##teamcity[testFailed name='basics()' message='Failure! |[Loc: qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp(0)|]' details='Compared QObject pointers are not the same|n Actual (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"|n Expected (nullptr) : (nullptr)' flowId='tst_TestLib']
+##teamcity[testFailed name='basics()' message='Failure! |[Loc: qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp(0)|]' details='Compared QObject pointers are not the same|n Actual (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"|n Expected (nullptr) : "nullptr"' flowId='tst_TestLib']
 ##teamcity[testFinished name='basics()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
 ##teamcity[testStarted name='delays()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
 ##teamcity[testFinished name='delays()' flowId='tst_TestLib']
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.txt b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.txt
index a0b8a275d09..4d652626e9b 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.txt
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Config: Using QtTest library
 PASS   : tst_TestLib::initTestCase()
 FAIL!  : tst_TestLib::basics() Compared QObject pointers are not the same
    Actual   (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"
-   Expected (nullptr)            : (nullptr)
+   Expected (nullptr)            : "nullptr"
    Loc: [qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp(0)]
 PASS   : tst_TestLib::delays()
 PASS   : tst_TestLib::reals(zero)
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.xml b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.xml
index 241fd3f8d12..8b66b003d0d 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.xml
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/expected_testlib.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     <Incident type="fail" file="qtbase/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/testlib/tst_testlib.cpp" line="0">
       <Description><![CDATA[Compared QObject pointers are not the same
    Actual   (QTest::testObject()): tst_TestLib/"TestObject"
-   Expected (nullptr)            : (nullptr)]]></Description>
+   Expected (nullptr)            : "nullptr"]]></Description>
     </Incident>
     <Duration msecs="0"/>
   </TestFunction>
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/extendedcompare/tst_extendedcompare.cpp b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/extendedcompare/tst_extendedcompare.cpp
index cc75e7f7fb3..70a77986678 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/extendedcompare/tst_extendedcompare.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/selftests/extendedcompare/tst_extendedcompare.cpp
@@ -93,11 +93,13 @@ static ClassWithPointerGetter getClassForValue(int val)
 // various toString() overloads
 namespace QTest {
 
-char *toString(const int *val)
+template <> char *toString(const int *const &val)
 {
     return val ? toString(*val) : toString(nullptr);
 }
 
+} // namespace QTest
+
 char *toString(const MyClass &val)
 {
     char *msg = new char[128];
@@ -117,8 +119,6 @@ char *toString(const MyClass *val)
     return toString(nullptr);
 }
 
-} // namespace QTest
-
 enum MyUnregisteredEnum { MyUnregisteredEnumValue1, MyUnregisteredEnumValue2 };
 
 class tst_ExtendedCompare : public QObject
@@ -293,8 +293,6 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
-namespace QTest {
-
 char *toString(const ClassWithDeferredSetter &val)
 {
     char *msg = new char[128];
@@ -302,8 +300,6 @@ char *toString(const ClassWithDeferredSetter &val)
     return msg;
 }
 
-} // namespace QTest
-
 void tst_ExtendedCompare::checkComparisonWithTimeout()
 {
     QFETCH_GLOBAL(QTest::ComparisonOperation, operation);