diff --git a/changelog.d/8679.misc b/changelog.d/8679.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..662eced4cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/8679.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Clarify representation of events in logfiles.
diff --git a/synapse/events/__init__.py b/synapse/events/__init__.py
index e203206865..8028663fa8 100644
--- a/synapse/events/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/events/__init__.py
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ class FrozenEvent(EventBase):
         return self.__repr__()
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "<FrozenEvent event_id='%s', type='%s', state_key='%s'>" % (
+        return "<FrozenEvent event_id=%r, type=%r, state_key=%r>" % (
             self.get("event_id", None),
             self.get("type", None),
             self.get("state_key", None),
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ class FrozenEventV2(EventBase):
         return self.__repr__()
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "<%s event_id='%s', type='%s', state_key='%s'>" % (
+        return "<%s event_id=%r, type=%r, state_key=%r>" % (
             self.__class__.__name__,
             self.event_id,
             self.get("type", None),