diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/default.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/default.exp
index 0325b8045d..114831f2fc 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/default.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/default.exp
@@ -604,6 +604,10 @@ set show_conv_list \
 	{$_cimag = <internal function _cimag>} \
 	{$_creal = <internal function _creal>} \
 	{$_isvoid = <internal function _isvoid>} \
+	{$_gdb_maint_setting_str = <internal function _gdb_maint_setting_str>} \
+	{$_gdb_maint_setting = <internal function _gdb_maint_setting>} \
+	{$_gdb_setting_str = <internal function _gdb_setting_str>} \
+	{$_gdb_setting = <internal function _gdb_setting>} \
 	{$_gdb_major = 8} \
 	{$_gdb_minor = 4} \
 	{$_shell_exitsignal = void} \
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/setshow.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/setshow.exp
index d807d75a66..5316b48509 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/setshow.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/setshow.exp
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ gdb_test "show annotate" "Annotation_level is 0..*"  "show annotate (0)"
 #test annotation_level 0
 gdb_test "info line 1" "Line 1 of .* is at address .* but contains no code.*"  "annotation_level 0" 
 
+gdb_test "show args" "Argument list to give program being debugged when it is started is \"\"\."
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"args\")" " = \"\""
+
 gdb_test_no_output "set args ~"
 gdb_test "show args" "Argument list to give program being debugged when it is started is \"~\"..*" \
     "show args ~"
@@ -91,6 +94,9 @@ gdb_test "show args" "Argument list to give program being debugged when it is st
 gdb_test_no_output "set args foo bar blup baz bubble" "set args" 
 #test show args
 gdb_test "show args" "Argument list to give program being debugged when it is started is \"foo bar blup baz bubble\"..*" "show args"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"args\")" " = \"foo bar blup baz bubble\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting args"
+
 
 # Don't test if we can't pass args or if we're using a stub.
 if { !$use_gdb_stub && ![target_info exists noargs] } {
@@ -100,32 +106,80 @@ if { !$use_gdb_stub && ![target_info exists noargs] } {
     gdb_test "run" "Starting program:.*foo bar blup baz bubble.*" "passing args"
 }
 #test set check range on
-gdb_test "set check range on" ".*" "set check range on" 
+# Note: the below might produce a warning, so match anything. 
+gdb_test "set check range on" ""
+
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"check range\")" " = \"on\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting check range on"
 #test show check range on
 gdb_test "show check range" "Range checking is \"on\"\..*" "show check range (on)" 
 #test set check range off with trailing space
 gdb_test_no_output "set check range off " "set check range off" 
 #test show check range off
 gdb_test "show check range" "Range checking is \"off\"\..*" "show check range (off)" 
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"check range\")" " = \"off\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting check range off"
 #test set check range auto
 gdb_test_no_output "set check range auto" "set check range auto" 
 #test show check range auto
 gdb_test "show check range" "Range checking is \"auto; currently .*" "show check range (auto)"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"check range\")" " = \"auto\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting check range auto"
 
 # Test set check type on
-gdb_test "set check type on" ".*" "set check type on"
+gdb_test_no_output "set check type on"
 
 # Test show check type on
 gdb_test "show check type" "Strict type checking is on\..*" \
     "show check type (on)"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"check type\")" " = \"on\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str check type on"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"check type\")" " = 1" \
+    "_gdb_setting check type on 1"
 
 # Test set check type off with trailing space
 gdb_test_no_output "set check type off " "set check type off"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"check type\")" " = \"off\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str check type off"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"check type\")" " = 0" \
+    "_gdb_setting check type off 0"
 
 # Test show check type off
 gdb_test "show check type" "Strict type checking is off\..*" \
     "show check type (off)"
 
+#test set breakpoint pending
+
+#test set breakpoint pending on
+gdb_test_no_output "set breakpoint pending on"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = \"on\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str breakpoint pending on"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = 1" \
+    "_gdb_setting breakpoint pending 1"
+
+#test show breakpoint pending on
+gdb_test "show breakpoint pending" " is on\..*" "show breakpoint pending on"
+
+#test show breakpoint pending off
+gdb_test_no_output "set breakpoint pending off"
+gdb_test "show breakpoint pending" " is off\..*" "show breakpoint pending off"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = \"off\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str breakpoint pending off"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = 0" \
+    "_gdb_setting breakpoint pending 0"
+
+#test set breakpoint pending auto
+gdb_test_no_output "set breakpoint pending auto"
+
+#test show breakpoint pending auto
+gdb_test "show breakpoint pending" " is auto.*" "show breakpoint pending auto"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = \"auto\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str breakpoint pending auto"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"breakpoint pending\")" " = -1" \
+    "_gdb_setting breakpoint pending -1"
+
+
+
 #test set complaints 100
 gdb_test_no_output "set complaints 100" "set complaints 100" 
 #test show complaints 100
@@ -159,9 +213,17 @@ gdb_test "show environment FOOBARBAZ" "FOOBARBAZ = grbxgrbxgrbx.*"  "show enviro
 gdb_test_no_output "set height 100" "set height 100" 
 #test show height 100
 gdb_test "show height" "Number of lines gdb thinks are in a page is 100..*" "show height" 
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"height\")" " = \"100\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str height 100"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"height\")" " = 100" \
+    "_gdb_setting height 100"
 # Back to infinite height to avoid pagers.  While at it, check that
 # literal "unlimited" works just as well as 0.
 gdb_test_no_output "set height unlimited"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"height\")" " = \"unlimited\"" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str height unlimited"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"height\")" " = 0" \
+    "_gdb_setting height unlimited"
 #test set history expansion on
 gdb_test_no_output "set history expansion on" "set history expansion on" 
 #test show history expansion on
@@ -182,6 +244,12 @@ gdb_test_no_output "set history filename ~/foobar.baz" \
 gdb_test "show history filename" \
     "The filename in which to record the command history is \"[string_to_regexp $HOME]/foobar.baz\"..*" \
     "show history filename (~/foobar.baz)"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting(\"history filename\")" \
+    " = \"[string_to_regexp $HOME]/foobar.baz\"..*" \
+    "_gdb_setting history filename"
+gdb_test "p \$_gdb_setting_str(\"history filename\")" \
+    " = \"[string_to_regexp $HOME]/foobar.baz\"..*" \
+    "_gdb_setting_str history filename"
 #get current working directory
 set PWD ""
 set test "show working directory"
@@ -209,7 +277,7 @@ gdb_test_no_output "set history size 100" "set history size 100"
 #test show history size 100
 gdb_test "show history size" "The size of the command history is 100..*" "show history size (100)" 
 #test set language asm
-gdb_test "set language asm" ".*" "set language asm" 
+gdb_test_no_output "set language asm"
 #test show language asm
 gdb_test "show language" "The current source language is \"asm\"..*" "show language (asm)" 
 #test set language rust, with a trailing space
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/settings.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/settings.exp
index 53049d6b59..3cb6e63efe 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/settings.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/settings.exp
@@ -35,11 +35,80 @@ if { ![readline_is_used] } {
 }
 
 # Test the show command SHOW_CMD.  EXPECTED_RE is the expected output.
-# This procedure exists in order to make it easier to make the test
+# Also verifies that $_gdb_maint_setting_str produces an equivalent output,
+# matching it with EXPECTED_RE.  EXPECTED_RE double quotes are escaped
+# unless EXPECTED_RE_ESCAPED is true, indicating the quotes in EXPECTED_RE
+# are already escaped.
+# The value for the setting corresponding to SHOW_CMD is then reset
+# to RESET_VALUE, then set again to the value given by $_gdb_maint_setting_str
+# and $_gdb_maint_setting.  The default value of RESET_VALUE (0) should work for
+# most settings.  Note that we do not check that RESET_VALUE differs from
+# the expected value, as we assume different values will be verified.
+# The setting value must still be the one in force before calling show_setting.
+# In other words, this verifies that
+#   maint set test-settings <some_setting> $_gdb_maint_setting_str(<some_setting>)
+#   maint set test-settings <some_setting> $_gdb_maint_setting(<some_setting>)
+# do not change the setting value.
+# This procedure makes it easier to make the test
 # name/message unique, since we test the "show" commands many times.
 # EXPECTED_RE is made part of the test name.
-proc show_setting {show_cmd expected_re} {
-    gdb_test "$show_cmd" $expected_re "$show_cmd: $expected_re"
+proc show_setting {show_cmd expected_re {expected_re_escaped 0} {reset_value 0}} {
+    global gdb_prompt
+
+    with_test_prefix "$show_cmd $expected_re" {
+	gdb_test "$show_cmd" $expected_re "show"
+
+	# Remove the first two words (such as "maint show") to have the
+	# setting name to use for $_gdb_maint_setting_str.
+	regsub "\[^ \]+ +\[^ \]+ +\(.*\)" $show_cmd "\\1" maint_setting
+	if {$expected_re_escaped} {
+	    set escaped_expected_re $expected_re
+	} else {
+	    regsub -all "\"" $expected_re "\\\\\\\"" escaped_expected_re
+	}
+	set test "print \$_gdb_maint_setting_str"
+	set setting_str_value "xxxYYYxxx"
+	gdb_test_multiple "print \$_gdb_maint_setting_str(\"$maint_setting\")" $test {
+	    -re " = \"\($escaped_expected_re\)\".*$gdb_prompt $" {
+		set setting_str_value $expect_out(1,string)
+		regsub -all "\\\\" $expect_out(1,string) "" setting_str_value
+		pass $test
+	    }
+	}
+
+	# Change the setting value to RESET_VALUE, set it back to setting_str_value
+	# and check we still have the original value.
+	gdb_test_no_output "maintenance set $maint_setting $reset_value" "str reset $reset_value"
+	gdb_test_no_output "maintenance set $maint_setting $setting_str_value" "str set again"
+	gdb_test "$show_cmd" $expected_re "str show after reset+set again"
+
+	# Same test, but with value captured from $_gdb_maint_setting.
+	set test "print \$_gdb_maint_setting"
+	set setting_value "xxxYYYxxx"
+	gdb_test_multiple "print \$_gdb_maint_setting(\"$maint_setting\")" $test {
+	    -re " = \"\(.*\)\".*$gdb_prompt $" {
+		set setting_value $expect_out(1,string)
+		regsub -all "\\\\" $expect_out(1,string) "" setting_value
+		pass $test
+	    }
+	    -re " = \(.*\)\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+		set setting_value $expect_out(1,string)
+		pass $test
+	    }
+	}
+
+	gdb_test_no_output "maintenance set $maint_setting $reset_value" "reset $reset_value"
+	gdb_test_no_output "maintenance set $maint_setting $setting_value" "set again"
+	gdb_test "$show_cmd" $expected_re "show after reset+set again"
+    }
+}
+
+# Verifies that $_gdb_setting (SETTING) gives a value whose ptype matches EXPECTED.
+proc check_type {setting expected} {
+    with_test_prefix "check_type $setting $expected" {
+	gdb_test "print \$_gdb_maint_setting(\"$setting\")"
+	gdb_test "ptype $" "$expected"
+    }
 }
 
 # var_Xinteger tests.  VARIANT determines which command/variant to
@@ -68,16 +137,19 @@ proc test-integer {variant} {
 	# -1 means unlimited.  Other negative values are rejected.  -1
 	# -is tested further below, along the "unlimited" tests.
 	gdb_test "$set_cmd -2" "only -1 is allowed to set as unlimited"
+	check_type "test-settings $variant" "type = int"
     } elseif {$variant == "uinteger" || $variant == "zuinteger"} {
 	# Negative values are not accepted.
 	gdb_test "$set_cmd -1" "integer -1 out of range"
 	gdb_test "$set_cmd -2" "integer -2 out of range"
+	check_type "test-settings $variant" "type = unsigned int"
     } else {
 	# Negative values are not accepted.
 	gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd -1"
 	show_setting "$show_cmd" "-1"
 	gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd -2"
 	show_setting "$show_cmd" "-2"
+	check_type "test-settings $variant" "type = int"
     }
 
     # Regular integer is accepted.
@@ -234,6 +306,8 @@ proc_with_prefix test-boolean {} {
 	show_setting "$show_cmd" "on"
     }
 
+    check_type "test-settings boolean" "type = int"
+
     foreach_with_prefix value {
 	"of"
 	"off"
@@ -354,6 +428,8 @@ proc_with_prefix test-auto-boolean {} {
 	show_setting "$show_cmd" "auto"
     }
 
+    check_type "test-settings auto-boolean" "type = int"
+
     # "-" is not accepted as abbreviation of "-1".
     gdb_test "$set_cmd -" \
 	"\"on\", \"off\" or \"auto\" expected\\."
@@ -409,11 +485,13 @@ proc_with_prefix test-enum {} {
     # Various valid values.  Test both full value names and
     # abbreviations.
     gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd x"
-    show_setting "$show_cmd" "xxx"
+    show_setting "$show_cmd" "xxx" 0 "zzz"
     gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd yy"
-    show_setting "$show_cmd" "yyy"
+    show_setting "$show_cmd" "yyy" 0 "zzz"
     gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd zzz"
-    show_setting "$show_cmd" "zzz"
+    show_setting "$show_cmd" "zzz" 0 "yyy"
+
+    check_type "test-settings enum" "type = char \\\[3\\\]"
 
     test_gdb_complete_multiple "$set_cmd " "" "" {
 	"xxx"
@@ -458,10 +536,12 @@ proc test-string {variant} {
     gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd hello world"
     show_setting "$show_cmd" "hello world"
 
+    check_type "test-settings $variant" "type = char \\\[\[1-9\]\[0-9\]*\\\]"
+
     # A quoted string value.
     if {$variant == "string"} {
 	gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd \"hello world\""
-	show_setting "$show_cmd" "\\\\\"hello world\\\\\""
+	show_setting "$show_cmd" "\\\\\"hello world\\\\\"" 1
     } else {
 	gdb_test_no_output "$set_cmd \"hello world\""
 	show_setting "$show_cmd" "\"hello world\""
