diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatter.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatter.java
index 85691e74..0a0f0161 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatter.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatter.java
@@ -119,6 +119,15 @@ public class QValueFormatter
       ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
       if(StringUtils.hasContent(displayFormat))
       {
+         //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // if the format is %s (the default), just return value a string                        //
+         // this saves some overhead incurred by String.formatted when called millions of times. //
+         //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         if(displayFormat.equals("%s"))
+         {
+            return (ValueUtils.getValueAsString(value));
+         }
+
          try
          {
             return (displayFormat.formatted(value));
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatterTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatterTest.java
index e6e783ed..52b9db39 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatterTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/values/QValueFormatterTest.java
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ class QValueFormatterTest extends BaseTest
    {
       assertNull(QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat(DisplayFormat.COMMAS), null));
 
+      assertEquals("1", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData(), 1));
+      assertEquals("1", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat("%s"), 1));
+      assertEquals("Hello", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat("%s"), "Hello"));
+
       assertEquals("1", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat(DisplayFormat.COMMAS), 1));
       assertEquals("1,000", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat(DisplayFormat.COMMAS), 1000));
       assertEquals("1000", QValueFormatter.formatValue(new QFieldMetaData().withDisplayFormat(null), 1000));