diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 5f55a8926..70840bb68 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ The ASDF Standard is at v1.6.0
   from working. If you want these warnings to produce errors you can
   now add your own warning filter [#1757]
 
+
+- Only show ``str`` representation during ``info`` and ``search``
+  if it contains a single line (and does not fail)  [#1748]
+
 3.0.1 (2023-10-30)
 ------------------
 
@@ -53,6 +57,7 @@ The ASDF Standard is at v1.6.0
   (leaf) nodes if ``show_values`` is enabled  [#1687]
 - Deprecate ``asdf.util.is_primitive`` [#1687]
 
+
 3.0.0 (2023-10-16)
 ------------------
 
diff --git a/asdf/_display.py b/asdf/_display.py
index d3d665bfc..4418a0393 100644
--- a/asdf/_display.py
+++ b/asdf/_display.py
@@ -257,7 +257,17 @@ def _render_node_value(self, info):
             return f"({rendered_type}): shape={info.node.shape}, dtype={info.node.dtype.name}"
 
         if not info.children and self._show_values:
-            return f"({rendered_type}): {info.node}"
+            try:
+                s = f"{info.node}"
+            except Exception:
+                # if __str__ fails, don't fail info, instead use an empty string
+                s = ""
+            # if __str__ returns multiple lines also use an empty string
+            if len(s.splitlines()) > 1:
+                s = ""
+            # if s is empty use the non-_show_values format below
+            if s:
+                return f"({rendered_type}): {s}"
 
         return f"({rendered_type})"
 
diff --git a/asdf/_tests/test_info.py b/asdf/_tests/test_info.py
index 79a89273d..fe4e114f4 100644
--- a/asdf/_tests/test_info.py
+++ b/asdf/_tests/test_info.py
@@ -665,3 +665,33 @@ def test_search():
 
     result = af.search(value="hello")
     assert result.node == "hello"
+
+
+def test_info_str(capsys):
+    class BadStr:
+        def __str__(self):
+            raise Exception()
+
+    class NewlineStr:
+        def __str__(self):
+            return "a\nb"
+
+    class CarriageReturnStr:
+        def __str__(self):
+            return "a\rb"
+
+    class NiceStr:
+        def __str__(self):
+            return "nice"
+
+    af = asdf.AsdfFile()
+    af["a"] = BadStr()
+    af["b"] = NewlineStr()
+    af["c"] = CarriageReturnStr()
+    af["d"] = NiceStr()
+    af.info()
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    assert "(BadStr)\n" in captured.out
+    assert "(NewlineStr)\n" in captured.out
+    assert "(CarriageReturnStr)\n" in captured.out
+    assert "(NiceStr): nice\n" in captured.out