diff --git a/damnit/api.py b/damnit/api.py
index c3f4b9d8..84ddbee1 100644
--- a/damnit/api.py
+++ b/damnit/api.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import h5py
 
 from .backend.db import BlobTypes, DamnitDB
+from .util import blob2complex
 
 
 # This is a copy of damnit.ctxsupport.ctxrunner.DataType, purely so that we can
@@ -166,6 +167,8 @@ def summary(self):
             # after creating the VariableData object.
             raise RuntimeError(f"Could not find value for '{self.name}' in p{self.proposal}, r{self.name}")
         else:
+            if isinstance(result[0], bytes) and BlobTypes.identify(result[0]) is BlobTypes.complex:
+                return blob2complex(result[0])
             return result[0]
 
     def __repr__(self):
@@ -385,13 +388,19 @@ def table(self, with_titles=False) -> "pd.DataFrame":
         if "comment" not in df:
             df.insert(3, "comment", None)
 
-        # Convert PNG blobs into a string
-        def image2str(value):
-            if isinstance(value, bytes) and BlobTypes.identify(value) is BlobTypes.png:
-                return "<image>"
+        # interpret blobs
+        def blob2type(value):
+            if isinstance(value, bytes):
+                match BlobTypes.identify(value):
+                    case BlobTypes.png | BlobTypes.numpy:
+                        return "<image>"
+                    case BlobTypes.complex:
+                        return blob2complex(value)
+                    case BlobTypes.unknown | _:
+                        return "<unknown>"
             else:
                 return value
-        df = df.applymap(image2str)
+        df = df.applymap(blob2type)
 
         # Use the full variable titles
         if with_titles:
diff --git a/damnit/backend/db.py b/damnit/backend/db.py
index 81731643..dafc1ab0 100644
--- a/damnit/backend/db.py
+++ b/damnit/backend/db.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 from ..definitions import UPDATE_TOPIC
 from .user_variables import UserEditableVariable
+from ..util import complex2blob
 
 DB_NAME = Path('runs.sqlite')
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ class ReducedData:
 class BlobTypes(Enum):
     png = 'png'
     numpy = 'numpy'
+    complex = 'complex'
     unknown = 'unknown'
 
     @classmethod
@@ -79,6 +81,8 @@ def identify(cls, blob: bytes):
             return cls.png
         elif blob.startswith(b'\x93NUMPY'):
             return cls.numpy
+        elif blob.startswith(b'_DAMNIT_COMPLEX_'):
+            return cls.complex
 
         return cls.unknown
 
@@ -324,6 +328,8 @@ def set_variable(self, proposal: int, run: int, name: str, reduced):
         if variable["value"] is None:
             for key in variable:
                 variable[key] = None
+        elif isinstance(variable["value"], complex):
+            variable["value"] = complex2blob(variable["value"])
 
         variable["proposal"] = proposal
         variable["run"] = run
diff --git a/damnit/backend/extract_data.py b/damnit/backend/extract_data.py
index 6ae2c15e..b9ecd74f 100644
--- a/damnit/backend/extract_data.py
+++ b/damnit/backend/extract_data.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def add_to_db(reduced_data, db: DamnitDB, proposal, run):
         db.ensure_run(proposal, run, start_time=start_time.value)
 
     for name, reduced in reduced_data.items():
-        if not isinstance(reduced.value, (int, float, str, bytes)):
+        if not isinstance(reduced.value, (int, float, str, bytes, complex)):
             raise TypeError(f"Unsupported type for database: {type(reduced.value)}")
 
         db.set_variable(proposal, run, name, reduced)
diff --git a/damnit/util.py b/damnit/util.py
index 781441af..188b3ef2 100644
--- a/damnit/util.py
+++ b/damnit/util.py
@@ -14,6 +14,21 @@ class StatusbarStylesheet(Enum):
     ERROR = "QStatusBar {background: red; color: white; font-weight: bold;}"
 
 
+def complex2blob(data: complex) -> bytes:
+    # convert complex to bytes
+    real = data.real.hex()
+    imag = data.imag.hex()
+    return f"_DAMNIT_COMPLEX_{real}_{imag}".encode()
+
+
+def blob2complex(data: bytes) -> complex:
+    # convert bytes to complex
+    real, _, imag = data[16:].decode().partition("_")
+    real = float.fromhex(real)
+    imag = float.fromhex(imag)
+    return complex(real, imag)
+
+
 def timestamp2str(timestamp):
     if timestamp is None or pd.isna(timestamp):
         return None
@@ -45,6 +60,7 @@ def bool_to_numeric(data):
 def fix_data_for_plotting(data):
     return bool_to_numeric(make_finite(data))
 
+
 def delete_variable(db, name):
     # Remove from the database
     db.delete_variable(name)
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 9107ab3b..fd995469 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -92,15 +92,16 @@ def test_variable_data(mock_db_with_data, monkeypatch):
 
     # Insert a DataSet variable
     dataset_code = """
-    from damnit_ctx import Variable
+    from damnit_ctx import Cell, Variable
     import xarray as xr
 
     @Variable(title="Dataset")
     def dataset(run):
-        return xr.Dataset(data_vars={
+        data = xr.Dataset(data_vars={
             "foo": xr.DataArray([1, 2, 3]),
             "bar/baz": xr.DataArray([1+2j, 3-4j, 5+6j]),
         })
+        return Cell(data, summary_value=data['bar/baz'][2])
     """
     (db_dir / "context.py").write_text(dedent(dataset_code))
     extract_mock_run(1)
@@ -131,6 +132,10 @@ def dataset(run):
     # Datasets have a internal _damnit attribute that should be removed
     assert len(dataset.attrs) == 0
 
+    summary = rv["dataset"].summary()
+    assert isinstance(summary, complex)
+    assert summary == complex(5, 6)
+
     fig = rv['plotly_mc_plotface'].read()
     assert isinstance(fig, PlotlyFigure)
     assert fig == px.bar(x=["a", "b", "c"], y=[1, 3, 2])
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc145654
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import pytest
+from damnit.util import complex2blob, blob2complex
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("value", [
+    1+2j,
+    0+0j,
+    -1.5-3.7j,
+    2.5+0j,
+    0+3.1j,
+    float('inf')+0j,
+    complex(float('inf'), -float('inf')),
+])
+def test_complex_blob_conversion(value):
+    # Test that converting complex -> blob -> complex preserves the value
+    blob = complex2blob(value)
+    result = blob2complex(blob)
+    assert result == value