diff --git a/Test/Tasty/Silver.hs b/Test/Tasty/Silver.hs
--- a/Test/Tasty/Silver.hs
+++ b/Test/Tasty/Silver.hs
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@
 
 import Test.Tasty.Providers
 import Test.Tasty.Silver.Advanced
-import qualified Data.ByteString.Lazy as BL
 import qualified Data.ByteString as BS
 import System.Exit
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 710
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@
 goldenVsFile name ref new act =
   goldenTest1
     name
-    (maybe Nothing (Just . decodeUtf8) <$> readFileMaybe ref)
+    (fmap decodeUtf8 <$> readFileMaybe ref)
     (act >> (decodeUtf8 <$> BS.readFile new))
     textLikeDiff
     textLikeShow
@@ -115,17 +114,11 @@
 goldenVsAction name ref act toTxt =
   goldenTest1
     name
-    (maybe Nothing (Just . decodeUtf8) <$> readFileMaybe ref)
+    (fmap decodeUtf8 <$> readFileMaybe ref)
     (toTxt <$> act)
     textLikeDiff
     textLikeShow
-    (upd . fromStrict . encodeUtf8)
-  where upd = BL.writeFile ref
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 706
-        fromStrict x = BL.fromChunks [x]
-#else
-        fromStrict = BL.fromStrict
-#endif
+    (BS.writeFile ref . encodeUtf8)
 
 textLikeShow :: T.Text -> GShow
 textLikeShow = ShowText
diff --git a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Advanced.hs b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Advanced.hs
--- a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Advanced.hs
+++ b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Advanced.hs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     goldenTest1,
 
     goldenTestIO,
+    goldenTestIO1,
     goldenTest,
 
     GShow (..),
@@ -80,4 +81,23 @@
   -> (a -> IO GShow) -- ^ Show the golden/actual value.
   -> (a -> IO ()) -- ^ update the golden file
   -> TestTree
-goldenTestIO t golden test diff shw upd = singleTest t $ Golden golden test diff shw upd
+goldenTestIO t golden test diff shw upd = goldenTestIO1 t golden test diff shw (Just upd)
+
+-- | A very general testing function.
+-- Experimental function, may change in later versions!
+-- The IO version of show/diff are useful when using external diff or show mechanisms. If IO is not required,
+-- the `goldenTest1` function should be used instead.
+goldenTestIO1
+  :: TestName -- ^ test name
+  -> (IO (Maybe a)) -- ^ get the golden correct value
+  -> (IO a) -- ^ get the tested value
+  -> (a -> a -> IO GDiff)
+    -- ^ comparison function.
+    --
+    -- If two values are the same, it should return 'Equal'. If they are
+    -- different, it should return a diff representation.
+    -- First argument is golden value.
+  -> (a -> IO GShow) -- ^ Show the golden/actual value.
+  -> (Maybe (a -> IO ())) -- ^ update the golden file
+  -> TestTree
+goldenTestIO1 t golden test diff shw upd = singleTest t $ Golden golden test diff shw upd
diff --git a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Interactive.hs b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Interactive.hs
--- a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Interactive.hs
+++ b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Interactive.hs
@@ -288,7 +288,6 @@
         pref = indent level ++ replicate (length name) ' ' ++ "  " ++ align
         printTestName =
           printf "%s%s: %s" (indent level) name align
-        hsep = putStrLn (replicate 40 '=')
         printResultLine result forceTime = do
           -- use an appropriate printing function
           let
@@ -321,28 +320,7 @@
             RTFail -> infoFail) $
               printf "%s%s\n" pref (formatDesc (level+1) rDesc)
 
-          stat' <- case resultOutcome result of
-            Failure (TestThrewException e) ->
-              case fromException e of
-                Just (Mismatch (GRNoGolden a shw _)) -> do
-                  infoFail $ printf "%sActual value is:\n" pref
-                  let a' = runIdentity a
-                  shw' <- shw a'
-                  hsep
-                  printValue name shw'
-                  hsep
-                  return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-                Just (Mismatch (GRDifferent _ _ diff _)) -> do
-                  infoFail $ printf "%sDiff between actual and golden value:\n" pref
-                  hsep
-                  printDiff name diff
-                  hsep
-                  return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-                Just (Mismatch _) -> error "Impossible case!"
-                Just Disabled -> return ( mempty { statDisabled = 1 } )
-                Nothing -> return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-            Failure _ -> return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-            Success -> return ( mempty { statSuccesses = 1 } )
+          stat' <- printTestOutput pref name result
 
           return stat'
 
@@ -350,44 +328,54 @@
           (result', stat') <- case (resultOutcome result) of
             Failure (TestThrewException e) ->
               case fromException e of
-                Just (Mismatch (GRNoGolden a shw upd)) -> do
+                Just (Mismatch (GRDifferent _ a diff Nothing)) -> do
+                  printResultLine result False
+                  s <- printTestOutput pref name result
+                  return (testFailed "", s)
+                Just (Mismatch (GRNoGolden a shw (Just upd))) -> do
                   printf "Golden value missing. Press <enter> to show actual value.\n"
                   _ <- getLine
                   let a' = runIdentity a
                   shw' <- shw a'
                   showValue name shw'
                   isUpd <- tryAccept pref name upd a'
-
-                  return (
-                      if isUpd
-                      then ( testPassed "Created golden value."
-                           , mempty { statCreatedGolden = 1 } )
-                      else ( testFailed "Golden value missing."
-                           , mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-                      )
-                Just (Mismatch (GRDifferent _ a diff upd)) -> do
+                  let r =
+                        if isUpd
+                        then ( testPassed "Created golden value."
+                             , mempty { statCreatedGolden = 1 } )
+                        else ( testFailed "Golden value missing."
+                             , mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+                  printResultLine (fst r) False
+                  return r
+                Just (Mismatch (GRDifferent _ a diff (Just upd))) -> do
                   printf "Golden value differs from actual value.\n"
                   showDiff name diff
                   isUpd <- tryAccept pref name upd a
-                  return (
-                      if isUpd
-                      then ( testPassed "Updated golden value."
-                           , mempty { statUpdatedGolden = 1 } )
-                      else ( testFailed "Golden value does not match actual output."
-                           , mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
-                      )
+                  let r =
+                        if isUpd
+                        then ( testPassed "Updated golden value."
+                             , mempty { statUpdatedGolden = 1 } )
+                        else ( testFailed "Golden value does not match actual output."
+                             , mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+                  printResultLine (fst r) False
+                  return r
                 Just (Mismatch _) -> error "Impossible case!"
-                Just Disabled -> return
-                            ( result
-                            , mempty { statDisabled = 1 } )
-                Nothing -> return (result, mempty {statFailures = 1})
-            Success -> return (result, mempty { statSuccesses = 1 })
-            Failure _ -> return (result, mempty { statFailures = 1 })
+                Just Disabled -> do
+                  printResultLine result False
+                  return ( result
+                         , mempty { statDisabled = 1 } )
+                Nothing -> do
+                  printResultLine result False
+                  return (result, mempty {statFailures = 1})
+            Success -> do
+              printResultLine result False
+              return (result, mempty { statSuccesses = 1 })
+            Failure _ -> do
+              printResultLine result False
+              return (result, mempty { statFailures = 1 })
 
           let result'' = result' { resultTime = resultTime result }
 
-          printResultLine result'' False
-
           rDesc <- formatMessage $ resultDescription result''
           when (not $ null rDesc) $ (case getResultType result'' of
             RTSuccess -> infoOk
@@ -416,6 +404,33 @@
           , foldGroup = handleGroup
           }
           opts tree
+
+printTestOutput :: (?colors :: Bool) => String -> TestName -> Result -> IO Statistics
+printTestOutput prefix name result = case resultOutcome result of
+  Failure (TestThrewException e) ->
+    case fromException e of
+      Just (Mismatch (GRNoGolden a shw _)) -> do
+        infoFail $ printf "%sActual value is:\n" prefix
+        let a' = runIdentity a
+        shw' <- shw a'
+        hsep
+        printValue name shw'
+        hsep
+        return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+      Just (Mismatch (GRDifferent _ _ diff _)) -> do
+        infoFail $ printf "%sDiff between actual and golden value:\n" prefix
+        hsep
+        printDiff name diff
+        hsep
+        return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+      Just (Mismatch _) -> error "Impossible case!"
+      Just Disabled -> return ( mempty { statDisabled = 1 } )
+      Nothing -> return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+  Failure _ -> return ( mempty { statFailures = 1 } )
+  Success -> return ( mempty { statSuccesses = 1 } )
+
+hsep :: IO ()
+hsep = putStrLn (replicate 40 '=')
 
 foldTestOutput
   :: (?colors :: Bool, Monoid b)
diff --git a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Internal.hs b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Internal.hs
--- a/Test/Tasty/Silver/Internal.hs
+++ b/Test/Tasty/Silver/Internal.hs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
         (IO a)            -- Get actual value.
         (a -> a -> IO GDiff)                       -- Compare/diff.
         (a -> IO GShow)                            -- How to produce a show.
-        (a -> IO ())                            -- Update golden value.
+        (Maybe (a -> IO ()))                       -- Update golden value.
   deriving Typeable
 
 
@@ -71,10 +71,10 @@
     (r, gr) <- runGolden golden
     let (AcceptTests accept) = lookupOption opts :: AcceptTests
     case gr of
-      GRNoGolden act _ upd | accept -> do
+      GRNoGolden act _ (Just upd) | accept -> do
             act >>= upd
             return $ testPassed "Created golden file."
-      GRDifferent _ act _ upd | accept -> do
+      GRDifferent _ act _ (Just upd) | accept -> do
             upd act
             return $ testPassed "Updated golden file."
       _ -> return r
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@
         (a)     -- golden
         (a)     -- actual
         (GDiff) -- diff
-        (a -> IO ()) -- update
+        (Maybe (a -> IO ())) -- update
   | forall a . GRNoGolden
         (m a) -- compute actual (we don't want to compute it if it is not used)
         (a -> IO GShow) --show
-        (a -> IO ()) -- update
+        (Maybe (a -> IO ())) -- update
 
 runGolden :: Golden -> IO (Result, GoldenResult)
 runGolden (Golden getGolden getActual cmp shw upd) = do
diff --git a/tasty-silver.cabal b/tasty-silver.cabal
--- a/tasty-silver.cabal
+++ b/tasty-silver.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                tasty-silver
-version:             3.1.7
+version:             3.1.8
 synopsis:            A fancy test runner, including support for golden tests.
 description:
   This package provides a fancy test runner and support for «golden testing».