diff --git a/docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md b/docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md
index fbd58eb33eb9a5..b99150c78becdd 100644
--- a/docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md
+++ b/docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ a JSON integer constant.
   "globals":
   {
     "FEATURE_COMINTEROP": 0,
-    "s_pThreadStore": [ 0 ] // indirect from pointer data offset 0
+    "s_pThreadStore": [ 0 ], // indirect from pointer data offset 0
+    "RuntimeID": "windows-x64" // string value
   },
   "contracts": {"Thread": 1, "GCHandle": 1, "ThreadStore": 1}
 }
diff --git a/docs/design/datacontracts/data_descriptor.md b/docs/design/datacontracts/data_descriptor.md
index 1338e1ae87aa60..06b3fa2bfc7f60 100644
--- a/docs/design/datacontracts/data_descriptor.md
+++ b/docs/design/datacontracts/data_descriptor.md
@@ -212,11 +212,11 @@ The global values will be in an array, with each value described by a dictionary
 
 * `"name": "global value name"` the name of the global value
 * `"type": "type name"` the type of the global value
-* optional `"value": VALUE | [ int ] | "unknown"` the value of the global value, or an offset in an auxiliary array containing the value or "unknown".
+* optional `"value": VALUE | [ int ] ` the value of the global value, or an offset in an auxiliary array containing the value.
+
+The `VALUE` may be either a number of string. JSON numeric constants are always parsed as numbers. JSON strings are always parsed as strings and may additionally parse as a hex (with prefix `0x` or `0X`) or decimal number.
+Numeric constants must be within the range of the type of the global value.
 
-The `VALUE` may be a JSON numeric constant integer or a string containing a signed or unsigned
-decimal or hex (with prefix `0x` or `0X`) integer constant.  The constant must be within the range
-of the type of the global value.
 
 **Compact format**:
 
@@ -225,7 +225,8 @@ The global values will be in a dictionary, with each key being the name of a glo
 * `[VALUE | [int], "type name"]` the type and value of a global
 * `VALUE | [int]` just the value of a global
 
-As in the regular format, `VALUE` is a numeric constant or a string containing an integer constant.
+`VALUE` may be either a number of string. JSON numeric constants are always parsed as numbers. JSON strings are always parsed as strings and may additionally parse as a hex (with prefix `0x` or `0X`) or decimal number.
+Numeric constants must be within the range of the type of the global value.
 
 Note that a two element array is unambiguously "type and value", whereas a one-element array is
 unambiguously "indirect value".
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ The baseline is given in the "regular" format.
   ],
   "globals": [
     { "name": "FEATURE_EH_FUNCLETS", "type": "uint8", "value": "0" }, // baseline defaults value to 0
-    { "name": "FEATURE_COMINTEROP", "type", "uint8", "value": "1"},
+    { "name": "FEATURE_COMINTEROP", "type": "uint8", "value": "1"},
     { "name": "s_pThreadStore", "type": "pointer" } // no baseline value
   ]
 }
@@ -308,7 +309,8 @@ The following is an example of an in-memory descriptor that references the above
   "globals":
   {
     "FEATURE_COMINTEROP": 0,
-    "s_pThreadStore": [ 0 ] // indirect from aux data offset 0
+    "s_pThreadStore": [ 0 ], // indirect from aux data offset 0
+    "RuntimeID": "windows-x64"
   }
 }
 ```
@@ -332,6 +334,7 @@ And the globals will be:
 | FEATURE_COMINTEROP  | uint8   | 0          |
 | FEATURE_EH_FUNCLETS | uint8   | 0          |
 | s_pThreadStore      | pointer | 0x0100ffe0 |
+| RuntimeID           | string  |"windows-x64"|
 
 The `FEATURE_EH_FUNCLETS` global's value comes from the baseline - not the in-memory data
 descriptor.  By contrast, `FEATURE_COMINTEROP` comes from the in-memory data descriptor - with the
diff --git a/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.cpp b/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.cpp
index c4d0aa3d42b645..ab5dd10aa55740 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.cpp
+++ b/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ struct GlobalPointerSpec
     uint32_t PointerDataIndex;
 };
 
+struct GlobalStringSpec
+{
+    uint32_t Name;
+    uint32_t StringValue;
+};
+
 #define CONCAT(token1,token2) token1 ## token2
 #define CONCAT4(token1, token2, token3, token4) token1 ## token2 ## token3 ## token4
 
@@ -59,6 +65,7 @@ struct GlobalPointerSpec
 #define MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername) CONCAT4(cdac_string_pool_membertypename__, tyname, __, membername)
 #define MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globalname__, globalname)
 #define MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globaltypename__, globalname)
+#define MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globalvalue__, globalname)
 
 // define a struct where the size of each field is the length of some string.  we will use offsetof to get
 // the offset of each struct element, which will be equal to the offset of the beginning of that string in the
@@ -71,6 +78,8 @@ struct CDacStringPoolSizes
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) DECL_LEN(MAKE_TYPELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name))
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) DECL_LEN(MAKE_FIELDLEN_NAME(tyname,membername), sizeof(#membername)) \
     DECL_LEN(MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername), sizeof(#membertyname))
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name, stringval) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name)) \
+    DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#stringval))
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name))
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name)) \
     DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#tyname))
@@ -84,6 +93,7 @@ struct CDacStringPoolSizes
 #define GET_FIELDTYPE_NAME(tyname,membername) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername))
 #define GET_GLOBAL_NAME(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(globalname))
 #define GET_GLOBALTYPE_NAME(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(globalname))
+#define GET_GLOBALSTRING_VALUE(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(globalname))
 
 // count the types
 enum
@@ -123,6 +133,15 @@ enum
 #include "datadescriptor.h"
 };
 
+// count the global strings
+enum
+{
+    CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount =
+#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN() 0
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name,value) + 1
+#include "datadescriptor.h"
+};
+
 
 #define MAKE_TYPEFIELDS_TYNAME(tyname) CONCAT(CDacFieldsPoolTypeStart__, tyname)
 
@@ -197,6 +216,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesStart;
 
         uint32_t GlobalPointersStart;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesStart;
         uint32_t NamesPoolStart;
 
         uint32_t TypeCount;
@@ -204,6 +224,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
 
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesCount;
         uint32_t GlobalPointerValuesCount;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesCount;
 
         uint32_t NamesPoolCount;
 
@@ -211,6 +232,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint8_t FieldSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalLiteralSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalPointerSpecSize;
+        uint8_t GlobalStringSpecSize;
     } Directory;
     uint32_t PlatformFlags;
     uint32_t BaselineName;
@@ -218,6 +240,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
     struct FieldSpec FieldsPool[CDacBlobFieldsPoolCount];
     struct GlobalLiteralSpec GlobalLiteralValues[CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount];
     struct GlobalPointerSpec GlobalPointerValues[CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount];
+    struct GlobalStringSpec GlobalStringValues[CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount];
     uint8_t NamesPool[sizeof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes)];
     uint8_t EndMagic[4];
 };
@@ -242,16 +265,19 @@ struct MagicAndBlob BlobDataDescriptor = {
             /* .FieldsPoolStart = */ offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, FieldsPool),
             /* .GlobalLiteralValuesStart = */ offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalLiteralValues),
             /* .GlobalPointersStart = */ offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalPointerValues),
+            /* .GlobalStringValuesStart = */ offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalStringValues),
             /* .NamesPoolStart = */ offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, NamesPool),
             /* .TypeCount = */ CDacBlobTypesCount,
             /* .FieldsPoolCount = */ CDacBlobFieldsPoolCount,
             /* .GlobalLiteralValuesCount = */ CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount,
             /* .GlobalPointerValuesCount = */ CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount,
+            /* .GlobalStringValuesCount = */ CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount,
             /* .NamesPoolCount = */ sizeof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes),
             /* .TypeSpecSize = */ sizeof(struct TypeSpec),
             /* .FieldSpecSize = */ sizeof(struct FieldSpec),
             /* .GlobalLiteralSpecSize = */ sizeof(struct GlobalLiteralSpec),
             /* .GlobalPointerSpecSize = */ sizeof(struct GlobalPointerSpec),
+            /* .GlobalStringSpecSize = */  sizeof(struct GlobalStringSpec)
         },
         /* .PlatformFlags = */ (sizeof(void*) == 4 ? 0x02 : 0) | 0x01,
         /* .BaselineName = */ offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, cdac_string_pool_baseline_),
@@ -287,10 +313,16 @@ struct MagicAndBlob BlobDataDescriptor = {
 #include "datadescriptor.h"
         },
 
+        /* .GlobalStringValues = */ {
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name,value) { /* .Name = */ GET_GLOBAL_NAME(name), /* .Value = */ GET_GLOBALSTRING_VALUE(name) },
+#include "datadescriptor.h"
+        },
+
         /* .NamesPool = */ ("\0" // starts with a nul
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) name "\0"
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) #name "\0"
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) #membername "\0" #membertyname "\0"
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name,value) #name "\0" #value "\0"
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) #name "\0"
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) #name "\0" #tyname "\0"
 #include "datadescriptor.h"
diff --git a/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.h b/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.h
index d9a0556b9742b1..c6417f7f3a79bf 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.h
+++ b/src/coreclr/debug/runtimeinfo/datadescriptor.h
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@
 #ifndef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(globalname,addr)
 #endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(globalname,stringval)
+#endif
 #ifndef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
 #define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #endif
@@ -757,6 +760,9 @@ CDAC_TYPE_END(CalleeSavedRegisters)
 CDAC_TYPES_END()
 
 CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
+
+CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(Architecture, TEST)
+
 CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(AppDomain, &AppDomain::m_pTheAppDomain)
 CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(ThreadStore, &ThreadStore::s_pThreadStore)
 CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(FinalizerThread, &::g_pFinalizerThread)
@@ -831,4 +837,5 @@ CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
 #undef CDAC_GLOBAL
 #undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
+#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING
 #undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/DataDescriptorModel.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/DataDescriptorModel.cs
index 55aa16283c4fa1..14ee0988ea2b8b 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/DataDescriptorModel.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/DataDescriptorModel.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public class DataDescriptorModel
     public uint PlatformFlags { get; }
     // The number of indirect globals plus 1 for the placeholder at index 0
     [JsonIgnore]
-    public int PointerDataCount => 1 + Globals.Values.Count(g => g.Value.Indirect);
+    public int PointerDataCount => 1 + Globals.Values.Count(g => g.Value.Kind == GlobalValue.KindEnum.Indirect);
 
     private DataDescriptorModel(string baseline, IReadOnlyDictionary<string, TypeModel> types, IReadOnlyDictionary<string, GlobalModel> globals, IReadOnlyDictionary<string, int> contracts, uint platformFlags)
     {
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ private DataDescriptorModel(string baseline, IReadOnlyDictionary<string, TypeMod
     }
 
     public const string PointerTypeName = "pointer";
+    public const string StringTypeName = "string";
 
     internal void DumpModel()
     {
@@ -274,6 +275,7 @@ public GlobalValue? Value
             }
         }
     }
+
     internal sealed class FieldBuilder
     {
         private string _type = string.Empty;
@@ -331,19 +333,38 @@ public readonly struct TypeModel
     [JsonConverter(typeof(GlobalValueJsonConverter))]
     public readonly struct GlobalValue : IEquatable<GlobalValue>
     {
-        public bool Indirect { get; private init; }
-        public ulong Value { get; }
-        public static GlobalValue MakeDirect(ulong value) => new GlobalValue(value);
-        public static GlobalValue MakeIndirect(uint auxDataIdx) => new GlobalValue((ulong)auxDataIdx) { Indirect = true };
-        private GlobalValue(ulong value) { Value = value; }
+        public enum KindEnum
+        {
+            Direct,
+            Indirect,
+            String
+        }
+
+        public KindEnum Kind { get; private init; }
+        public ulong NumericValue { get; }
+        public string StringValue { get; }
+        public static GlobalValue MakeDirect(ulong value) => new GlobalValue(value) { Kind = KindEnum.Direct };
+        public static GlobalValue MakeIndirect(uint auxDataIdx) => new GlobalValue((ulong)auxDataIdx) { Kind = KindEnum.Indirect };
+        public static GlobalValue MakeString(string value) => new GlobalValue(value) { Kind = KindEnum.String };
+        private GlobalValue(ulong value) { NumericValue = value; StringValue = string.Empty;}
+        private GlobalValue(string value) { StringValue = value; }
 
-        public static bool operator ==(GlobalValue left, GlobalValue right) => left.Value == right.Value && left.Indirect == right.Indirect;
+        public static bool operator ==(GlobalValue left, GlobalValue right) => left.Equals(right);
         public static bool operator !=(GlobalValue left, GlobalValue right) => !(left == right);
 
-        public bool Equals(GlobalValue other) => this == other;
-        public override bool Equals(object? obj) => obj is GlobalValue value && this == value;
-        public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Value, Indirect);
-        public override string ToString() => Indirect ? $"Indirect({Value})" : $"0x{Value:x}";
+        public bool Equals(GlobalValue other) => other.Kind == Kind && other.NumericValue == NumericValue && other.StringValue == StringValue;
+        public override bool Equals(object? obj) => obj is GlobalValue value && Equals(value);
+        public override int GetHashCode() => HashCode.Combine(Kind, NumericValue, StringValue);
+        public override string ToString()
+        {
+            return Kind switch
+            {
+                KindEnum.Direct => $"0x{NumericValue:x}",
+                KindEnum.Indirect => $"Indirect({NumericValue})",
+                KindEnum.String => $"'{StringValue}'",
+                _ => throw new InvalidOperationException("Unknown GlobalValue type")
+            };
+        }
     }
 
     [JsonConverter(typeof(GlobalModelJsonConverter))]
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/JsonConverter/GlobalValueJsonConverter.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/JsonConverter/GlobalValueJsonConverter.cs
index 429f6cc6979284..40ff3a67bab42e 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/JsonConverter/GlobalValueJsonConverter.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/JsonConverter/GlobalValueJsonConverter.cs
@@ -15,18 +15,25 @@ public override DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue Read(ref Utf8JsonReader reader,
 
     public override void Write(Utf8JsonWriter writer, DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue value, JsonSerializerOptions options)
     {
-        if (!value.Indirect)
+        switch (value.Kind)
         {
-            // no type: just write value as a number.
-            // we always write as a string containing a hex number
-            writer.WriteStringValue($"0x{value.Value:x}");
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            // pointer data index.  write as a 1-element array containing a decimal number
-            writer.WriteStartArray();
-            writer.WriteNumberValue(value.Value);
-            writer.WriteEndArray();
+            case DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue.KindEnum.Direct:
+                // no type: just write value as a number.
+                // we always write as a string containing a hex number
+                writer.WriteStringValue($"0x{value.NumericValue:x}");
+                break;
+            case DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue.KindEnum.Indirect:
+                // pointer data index.  write as a 1-element array containing a decimal number
+                writer.WriteStartArray();
+                writer.WriteNumberValue(value.NumericValue);
+                writer.WriteEndArray();
+                break;
+            case DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue.KindEnum.String:
+                // string data. write as a JSON string value
+                writer.WriteStringValue(value.StringValue);
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Unknown GlobalValue type");
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/ObjectFileScraper.cs b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/ObjectFileScraper.cs
index 24e7e2827d457b..1c379a7e61dd05 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/ObjectFileScraper.cs
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/ObjectFileScraper.cs
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ private struct HeaderDirectory
         public uint GlobalLiteralValuesStart;
 
         public uint GlobalPointersStart;
+        public uint GlobalStringValuesStart;
         public uint NamesStart;
 
         public uint TypesCount;
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ private struct HeaderDirectory
 
         public uint GlobalLiteralValuesCount;
         public uint GlobalPointerValuesCount;
+        public uint GlobalStringValuesCount;
 
         public uint NamesPoolCount;
 
@@ -174,6 +176,7 @@ private struct HeaderDirectory
         public byte FieldSpecSize;
         public byte GlobalLiteralSpecSize;
         public byte GlobalPointerSpecSize;
+        public byte GlobalStringSpecSize;
     };
 
     private static void DumpHeaderDirectory(HeaderDirectory headerDirectory)
@@ -186,12 +189,14 @@ private static void DumpHeaderDirectory(HeaderDirectory headerDirectory)
         Fields Pool Start     = 0x{headerDirectory.FieldsPoolStart:x8}
         Global Literals Start = 0x{headerDirectory.GlobalLiteralValuesStart:x8}
         Global Pointers Start = 0x{headerDirectory.GlobalPointersStart:x8}
+        Global Strings Start  = 0x{headerDirectory.GlobalStringValuesStart:x8}
         Names Pool Start      = 0x{headerDirectory.NamesStart:x8}
 
         Types Count                 = {headerDirectory.TypesCount}
         Fields Pool Count           = {headerDirectory.FieldsPoolCount}
         Global Literal Values Count = {headerDirectory.GlobalLiteralValuesCount}
         Global Pointer Values Count = {headerDirectory.GlobalPointerValuesCount}
+        Global String Values count  = {headerDirectory.GlobalStringValuesCount}
         Names Pool Count            = {headerDirectory.NamesPoolCount}
 
         """);
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
         var globalLiteralValuesStart = state.ReadUInt32();
 
         var globalPointersStart = state.ReadUInt32();
+        var globalStringValuesStart = state.ReadUInt32();
         var namesStart = state.ReadUInt32();
 
         var typeCount = state.ReadUInt32();
@@ -214,6 +220,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
 
         var globalLiteralValuesCount = state.ReadUInt32();
         var globalPointerValuesCount = state.ReadUInt32();
+        var GlobalStringValuesCount = state.ReadUInt32();
 
         var namesPoolCount = state.ReadUInt32();
 
@@ -221,6 +228,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
         var fieldSpecSize = state.ReadByte();
         var globalLiteralSpecSize = state.ReadByte();
         var globalPointerSpecSize = state.ReadByte();
+        var globalStringSpecSize = state.ReadByte();
 
         return new HeaderDirectory {
             FlagsAndBaselineStart = baselineStart,
@@ -228,6 +236,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
             FieldsPoolStart = fieldPoolStart,
             GlobalLiteralValuesStart = globalLiteralValuesStart,
             GlobalPointersStart = globalPointersStart,
+            GlobalStringValuesStart = globalStringValuesStart,
             NamesStart = namesStart,
 
             TypesCount = typeCount,
@@ -235,6 +244,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
 
             GlobalLiteralValuesCount = globalLiteralValuesCount,
             GlobalPointerValuesCount = globalPointerValuesCount,
+            GlobalStringValuesCount = GlobalStringValuesCount,
 
             NamesPoolCount = namesPoolCount,
 
@@ -242,6 +252,7 @@ private static HeaderDirectory ReadHeader(ScraperState state)
             FieldSpecSize = fieldSpecSize,
             GlobalLiteralSpecSize = globalLiteralSpecSize,
             GlobalPointerSpecSize = globalPointerSpecSize,
+            GlobalStringSpecSize = globalStringSpecSize,
         };
     }
 
@@ -280,6 +291,12 @@ private struct GlobalPointerSpec
         public uint AuxDataIdx;
     }
 
+    private struct GlobalStringSpec
+    {
+        public uint NameIdx;
+        public uint ValueIdx;
+    }
+
     private sealed class Content
     {
         public required bool Verbose {get; init; }
@@ -289,6 +306,7 @@ private sealed class Content
         public required IReadOnlyList<FieldSpec> FieldSpecs { get; init; }
         public required IReadOnlyList<GlobalLiteralSpec> GlobaLiteralSpecs { get; init; }
         public required IReadOnlyList<GlobalPointerSpec> GlobalPointerSpecs { get; init; }
+        public required IReadOnlyList<GlobalStringSpec> GlobalStringSpecs { get; init; }
         public required ReadOnlyMemory<byte> NamesPool { get; init; }
 
         internal string GetPoolString(uint stringIdx)
@@ -360,6 +378,14 @@ public void AddToModel(DataDescriptorModel.Builder builder)
                 builder.AddOrUpdateGlobal(globalName, DataDescriptorModel.PointerTypeName, globalValue);
                 WriteVerbose($"Global pointer {globalName} has index {globalValue}");
             }
+
+            foreach (var globalString in GlobalStringSpecs)
+            {
+                var globalName = GetPoolString(globalString.NameIdx);
+                var globalValue = DataDescriptorModel.GlobalValue.MakeString(GetPoolString(globalString.ValueIdx));
+                builder.AddOrUpdateGlobal(globalName, DataDescriptorModel.StringTypeName, globalValue);
+                WriteVerbose($"Global string {globalName} has value {globalValue}");
+            }
         }
 
         private void WriteVerbose(string msg)
@@ -381,6 +407,7 @@ private Content ReadContent(ScraperState state, HeaderDirectory header)
         FieldSpec[] fieldSpecs = ReadFieldSpecs(state, header);
         GlobalLiteralSpec[] globalLiteralSpecs = ReadGlobalLiteralSpecs(state, header);
         GlobalPointerSpec[] globalPointerSpecs = ReadGlobalPointerSpecs(state, header);
+        GlobalStringSpec[] globalStringSpecs = ReadGlobalStringSpecs(state, header);
         byte[] namesPool = ReadNamesPool(state, header);
 
         byte[] endMagic = new byte[4];
@@ -406,6 +433,7 @@ private Content ReadContent(ScraperState state, HeaderDirectory header)
             FieldSpecs = fieldSpecs,
             GlobaLiteralSpecs = globalLiteralSpecs,
             GlobalPointerSpecs = globalPointerSpecs,
+            GlobalStringSpecs = globalStringSpecs,
             NamesPool = namesPool
         };
     }
@@ -502,6 +530,26 @@ private static GlobalPointerSpec[] ReadGlobalPointerSpecs(ScraperState state, He
         return globalSpecs;
     }
 
+    private static GlobalStringSpec[] ReadGlobalStringSpecs(ScraperState state, HeaderDirectory header)
+    {
+        GlobalStringSpec[] globalSpecs = new GlobalStringSpec[header.GlobalStringValuesCount];
+        state.ResetPosition(state.HeaderStart + (long)header.GlobalStringValuesStart);
+        for (int i = 0; i < header.GlobalStringValuesCount; i++)
+        {
+            int bytesRead = 0;
+            globalSpecs[i].NameIdx = state.ReadUInt32();
+            bytesRead += sizeof(uint);
+            globalSpecs[i].ValueIdx = state.ReadUInt32();
+            bytesRead += sizeof(uint);
+            // skip padding
+            if (bytesRead < header.GlobalStringSpecSize)
+            {
+                state.Skip(header.GlobalStringSpecSize - bytesRead);
+            }
+        }
+        return globalSpecs;
+    }
+
     private static byte[] ReadNamesPool(ScraperState state, HeaderDirectory header)
     {
         byte[] namesPool = new byte[header.NamesPoolCount];
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/data-descriptor-blob.md b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/data-descriptor-blob.md
index b7321edd12c991..f04765d9f13db4 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/data-descriptor-blob.md
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/data-descriptor-blob.md
@@ -88,6 +88,14 @@ struct GlobalPointerSpec
     uint32_t Name;
     uint32_t PointerDataIndex;
 };
+
+// A string global value.
+// We record the name and the value, both as a string.
+struct GlobalStringSpec
+{
+    uint32_t Name;
+    uint32_t valueIndex;
+}
 ```
 
 The main data we want to emit to the object file is an instance of the following structure:
@@ -108,6 +116,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesStart;
 
         uint32_t GlobalPointersStart;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesStart;
         uint32_t NamesStart;
 
         uint32_t TypeCount;
@@ -115,6 +124,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
 
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesCount;
         uint32_t GlobalPointerValuesCount;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesCount;
 
         uint32_t NamesPoolCount;
 
@@ -122,6 +132,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint8_t FieldSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalLiteralSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalPointerSpecSize;
+        uint8_t GlobalStringSpecSize;
     } Directory;
     // Platform flags (primarily pointer size)
     uint32_t PlatformFlags;
@@ -136,6 +147,8 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
     struct GlobalLiteralSpec GlobalLiteralValues[CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount];
     // an array of pointer globals
     struct GlobalPointerSpec GlobalPointerValues[CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount];
+    // an array of string globals
+    struct GlobalStringSpec GlobalStringValues[CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount];
     // all of the names that might be referenced from elsewhere in BinaryBlobDataDescriptor,
     // delimited by "\0"
     uint8_t NamesPool[sizeof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes)];
@@ -178,12 +191,15 @@ in a contiguous subsequence and are terminated by a marker `FieldSpec` with a `N
 For each field there is a name that gives an offset in the name pool and an offset indicating the
 field's offset.
 
-The global constants are given as a sequence of `GlobalLiteralSpec` elements.  Each global has a
+The numeric global constants are given as a sequence of `GlobalLiteralSpec` elements.  Each global has a
 name, type and a value.  Globals that are the addresses in target memory, are in `GlobalPointerSpec`
 elements. Each pointer element has a name and an index in a separately compiled pointer structure
 that is linked into runtime .  See
 [contract-descriptor.md](/docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md)
 
+Strings can be passed as `GlobalStringSpec` elements.  Each string global has a name and value which
+are passed as offsets into the `NamesPool`.
+
 The `NamesPool` is a single sequence of utf-8 bytes comprising the concatenation of all the type
 field and global names including a terminating nul byte for each name.  The same name may occur
 multiple times.  The names could be referenced by multiple type or multiple fields. (That is, a
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.blob.c b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.blob.c
index b90b7eca0e932a..09641ef3531a21 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.blob.c
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.blob.c
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ struct GlobalPointerSpec
     uint32_t AuxIndex;
 };
 
+struct GlobalStringSpec
+{
+    uint32_t Name;
+    uint32_t StringValue;
+};
+
 #define CONCAT(token1,token2) token1 ## token2
 #define CONCAT4(token1, token2, token3, token4) token1 ## token2 ## token3 ## token4
 
@@ -57,6 +63,7 @@ struct GlobalPointerSpec
 #define MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername) CONCAT4(cdac_string_pool_membertypename__, tyname, __, membername)
 #define MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globalname__, globalname)
 #define MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globaltypename__, globalname)
+#define MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(globalname) CONCAT(cdac_string_pool_globalvalue__, globalname)
 
 // define a struct where the size of each field is the length of some string.  we will use offsetof to get
 // the offset of each struct element, which will be equal to the offset of the beginning of that string in the
@@ -66,33 +73,16 @@ struct CDacStringPoolSizes
     char cdac_string_pool_nil; // make the first real string start at offset 1
 #define DECL_LEN(membername,len) char membername[(len)];
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) DECL_LEN(cdac_string_pool_baseline_, (sizeof(name)))
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) DECL_LEN(MAKE_TYPELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name))
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) DECL_LEN(MAKE_FIELDLEN_NAME(tyname,membername), sizeof(#membername)) \
     DECL_LEN(MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername), sizeof(#membertyname))
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name, stringval) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name)) \
+    DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#stringval))
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name))
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#name)) \
     DECL_LEN(MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(name), sizeof(#tyname))
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
 #undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
 };
 
 #define GET_TYPE_NAME(name) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_TYPELEN_NAME(name))
@@ -100,38 +90,15 @@ struct CDacStringPoolSizes
 #define GET_FIELDTYPE_NAME(tyname,membername) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_FIELDTYPELEN_NAME(tyname,membername))
 #define GET_GLOBAL_NAME(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALLEN_NAME(globalname))
 #define GET_GLOBALTYPE_NAME(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALTYPELEN_NAME(globalname))
+#define GET_GLOBALSTRING_VALUE(globalname) offsetof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes, MAKE_GLOBALVALUELEN_NAME(globalname))
 
 // count the types
 enum
 {
     CDacBlobTypesCount =
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) 0
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) + 1
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
-    ,
 };
 
 // count the field pool size.
@@ -140,32 +107,9 @@ enum
 {
     CDacBlobFieldsPoolCount =
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) 1
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) + 1
 #define CDAC_TYPE_END(name) + 1
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
-    ,
 };
 
 // count the literal globals
@@ -173,32 +117,8 @@ enum
 {
     CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount =
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) 0
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) + 1
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
-    ,
 };
 
 // count the aux vector globals
@@ -206,32 +126,17 @@ enum
 {
     CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount =
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) 0
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) + 1
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
-    ,
+};
+
+// count the global strings
+enum
+{
+    CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount =
+#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN() 0
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name,value) + 1
+#include "sample.data.h"
 };
 
 
@@ -257,32 +162,11 @@ struct CDacFieldsPoolSizes
 {
 #define DECL_LEN(membername) char membername;
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) DECL_LEN(cdac_fields_pool_start_placeholder__)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) struct MAKE_TYPEFIELDS_TYNAME(name) {
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) DECL_LEN(CONCAT4(cdac_fields_pool_member__, tyname, __, membername))
 #define CDAC_TYPE_END(name) DECL_LEN(CONCAT4(cdac_fields_pool_member__, tyname, _, endmarker)) \
     } MAKE_TYPEFIELDS_TYNAME(name);
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
 #undef DECL_LEN
 };
 
@@ -303,31 +187,9 @@ struct CDacGlobalPointerIndex
 {
 #define DECL_LEN(membername) char membername;
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) DECL_LEN(cdac_global_pointer_index_start_placeholder__)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) DECL_LEN(CONCAT(cdac_global_pointer_index__, name))
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
 #undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
 };
 
 #define GET_GLOBAL_POINTER_INDEX(name) offsetof(struct CDacGlobalPointerIndex, CONCAT(cdac_global_pointer_index__, name))
@@ -343,6 +205,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesStart;
 
         uint32_t GlobalPointersStart;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesStart;
         uint32_t NamesPoolStart;
 
         uint32_t TypeCount;
@@ -350,6 +213,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
 
         uint32_t GlobalLiteralValuesCount;
         uint32_t GlobalPointerValuesCount;
+        uint32_t GlobalStringValuesCount;
 
         uint32_t NamesPoolCount;
 
@@ -357,6 +221,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
         uint8_t FieldSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalLiteralSpecSize;
         uint8_t GlobalPointerSpecSize;
+        uint8_t GlobalStringSpecSize;
     } Directory;
     uint32_t PlatformFlags;
     uint32_t BaselineName;
@@ -364,6 +229,7 @@ struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor
     struct FieldSpec FieldsPool[CDacBlobFieldsPoolCount];
     struct GlobalLiteralSpec GlobalLiteralValues[CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount];
     struct GlobalPointerSpec GlobalPointerValues[CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount];
+    struct GlobalStringSpec GlobalStringValues[CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount];
     uint8_t NamesPool[sizeof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes)];
     uint8_t EndMagic[4];
 };
@@ -382,16 +248,19 @@ const struct MagicAndBlob Blob = {
             .FieldsPoolStart = offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, FieldsPool),
             .GlobalLiteralValuesStart = offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalLiteralValues),
             .GlobalPointersStart = offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalPointerValues),
+            .GlobalStringValuesStart = offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, GlobalStringValues),
             .NamesPoolStart = offsetof(struct BinaryBlobDataDescriptor, NamesPool),
             .TypeCount = CDacBlobTypesCount,
             .FieldsPoolCount = CDacBlobFieldsPoolCount,
             .GlobalLiteralValuesCount = CDacBlobGlobalLiteralsCount,
             .GlobalPointerValuesCount = CDacBlobGlobalPointersCount,
+            .GlobalStringValuesCount = CDacBlobGlobalStringsCount,
             .NamesPoolCount = sizeof(struct CDacStringPoolSizes),
             .TypeSpecSize = sizeof(struct TypeSpec),
             .FieldSpecSize = sizeof(struct FieldSpec),
             .GlobalLiteralSpecSize = sizeof(struct GlobalLiteralSpec),
             .GlobalPointerSpecSize = sizeof(struct GlobalPointerSpec),
+            .GlobalStringSpecSize = sizeof(struct GlobalStringSpec),
         },
         .EndMagic = { 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04 },
 	.PlatformFlags = 0x01 | (sizeof(void*) == 4 ? 0x02 : 0),
@@ -399,153 +268,47 @@ const struct MagicAndBlob Blob = {
 
         .NamesPool = ("\0" // starts with a nul
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) name "\0"
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) #name "\0"
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) #membername "\0" #membertyname "\0"
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) #name "\0"
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) #name "\0" #tyname "\0"
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
                   ),
 
         .FieldsPool = {
 #define CDAC_BASELINE(name) {0,},
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset) { \
     .Name = GET_FIELD_NAME(tyname,membername), \
     .TypeName = GET_FIELDTYPE_NAME(tyname,membername), \
     .FieldOffset = offset, \
 },
 #define CDAC_TYPE_END(name) { 0, },
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
         },
 
         .Types = {
-#define CDAC_BASELINE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name) { \
     .Name = GET_TYPE_NAME(name), \
     .Fields = GET_TYPE_FIELDS(name),
 #define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name) .Size = 0,
 #define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size) .Size = size,
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
 #define CDAC_TYPE_END(name) },
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
         },
 
         .GlobalLiteralValues = {
-#define CDAC_BASELINE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value)
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value) { .Name = GET_GLOBAL_NAME(name), .TypeName = GET_GLOBALTYPE_NAME(name), .Value = value },
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
         },
 
         .GlobalPointerValues = {
-#define CDAC_BASELINE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
-#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(size)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,membertyname,membername,offset)
-#define CDAC_TYPE_END(name)
-#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
 #define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(name,value) { .Name = GET_GLOBAL_NAME(name), .AuxIndex = GET_GLOBAL_POINTER_INDEX(name) },
-#define CDAC_GLOBAL(name,tyname,value)
-#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
 #include "sample.data.h"
-#undef CDAC_BASELINE
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
-#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
-#undef DECL_LEN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
-#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
-#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
+        },
+
+        .GlobalStringValues = {
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(name, value) { .Name = GET_GLOBAL_NAME(name), .StringValue = GET_GLOBALSTRING_VALUE(name) },
+#include "sample.data.h"
         },
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.data.h b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.data.h
index e4b8bff98b5e43..58ed59d02de4a1 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.data.h
+++ b/src/coreclr/tools/cdac-build-tool/sample/sample.data.h
@@ -1,3 +1,45 @@
+#ifndef CDAC_BASELINE
+#define CDAC_BASELINE(identifier)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
+#define CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
+#define CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN(tyname)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
+#define CDAC_TYPE_SIZE(k)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
+#define CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE(tyname)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
+#define CDAC_TYPE_FIELD(tyname,fieldtyname,fieldname,off)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPE_END
+#define CDAC_TYPE_END(tyname)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_TYPES_END
+#define CDAC_TYPES_END()
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
+#define CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN()
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBAL
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL(globalname,tyname,val)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER(globalname,addr)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING
+#define CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(globalname,stringval)
+#endif
+#ifndef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
+#define CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
+#endif
+
+
+
 CDAC_BASELINE("empty")
 CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN()
 
@@ -21,4 +63,21 @@ CDAC_GLOBAL(FeatureEHFunclets, uint8, 1)
 CDAC_GLOBAL(FeatureEHFunclets, uint8, 0)
 #endif
 CDAC_GLOBAL(SomeMagicNumber, uint32, 42)
+CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING(RuntimeIdentifier, "windows-x64")
 CDAC_GLOBALS_END()
+
+
+
+#undef CDAC_BASELINE
+#undef CDAC_TYPES_BEGIN
+#undef CDAC_TYPE_BEGIN
+#undef CDAC_TYPE_INDETERMINATE
+#undef CDAC_TYPE_SIZE
+#undef CDAC_TYPE_FIELD
+#undef CDAC_TYPE_END
+#undef CDAC_TYPES_END
+#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_BEGIN
+#undef CDAC_GLOBAL
+#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_POINTER
+#undef CDAC_GLOBAL_STRING
+#undef CDAC_GLOBALS_END
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader.Abstractions/Target.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader.Abstractions/Target.cs
index a9a73560c8b9b7..f4023a8ffa53e6 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader.Abstractions/Target.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader.Abstractions/Target.cs
@@ -119,6 +119,21 @@ public enum CorDebugPlatform : int
     /// <returns>Value read from the target</returns>
     public abstract TargetNUInt ReadNUInt(ulong address);
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read a well known global from the target process as a string
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="name">The name of the global</param>
+    /// <param name="value">The value of the global if found</param>
+    /// <returns>True if a global is found, false otherwise</returns>
+    public abstract bool TryReadStringGlobal(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out string? value);
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Read a well known global from the target process as a string
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="name">The name of the global</param>
+    /// <returns>A string value</returns>
+    public abstract string ReadStringGlobal(string name);
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Read a well known global from the target process as a number in the target endianness
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorParser.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorParser.cs
index 9d351328daafe2..1f15838912670f 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorParser.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorParser.cs
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+using System.Text.Unicode;
 
 namespace Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader;
 
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ public partial class ContractDescriptorParser
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(Dictionary<string, TypeDescriptor>))]
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(Dictionary<string, FieldDescriptor>))]
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(Dictionary<string, GlobalDescriptor>))]
+    [JsonSerializable(typeof(Dictionary<string, string>))]
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(TypeDescriptor))]
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(FieldDescriptor))]
     [JsonSerializable(typeof(GlobalDescriptor))]
@@ -65,12 +68,14 @@ public class ContractDescriptor
 
         public Dictionary<string, GlobalDescriptor>? Globals { get; set; }
 
+        public Dictionary<string, string>? GlobalStrings { get; set; }
+
         [JsonExtensionData]
         public Dictionary<string, JsonElement>? Extras { get; set; }
 
         public override string ToString()
         {
-            return $"Version: {Version}, Baseline: {Baseline}, Contracts: {Contracts?.Count}, Types: {Types?.Count}, Globals: {Globals?.Count}";
+            return $"Version: {Version}, Baseline: {Baseline}, Contracts: {Contracts?.Count}, Types: {Types?.Count}, Globals: {Globals?.Count}, GlobalStrings: {GlobalStrings?.Count}";
         }
 
     }
@@ -92,9 +97,13 @@ public class FieldDescriptor
     [JsonConverter(typeof(GlobalDescriptorConverter))]
     public class GlobalDescriptor
     {
-        public string? Type { get; set; }
-        public ulong Value { get; set; }
+        [MemberNotNullWhen(true, nameof(NumericValue))]
         public bool Indirect { get; set; }
+        public string? Type { get; set; }
+
+        // When the descriptor is indirect, NumericValue must be non-null to point to the actual data
+        public ulong? NumericValue { get; set; }
+        public string? StringValue { get; set; }
     }
 
     internal sealed class TypeDescriptorConverter : JsonConverter<TypeDescriptor>
@@ -191,35 +200,38 @@ internal sealed class GlobalDescriptorConverter : JsonConverter<GlobalDescriptor
         public override GlobalDescriptor Read(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, Type typeToConvert, JsonSerializerOptions options)
         {
             // four cases:
-            // 1. number - no type, direct value, given value
+            // 1. value - no type, direct value, given value
             // 2. [number] - no type, indirect value, given aux data ptr
-            // 3. [number, string] - type, direct value, given value
+            // 3. [value, string] - type, direct value, given value
             // 4. [[number], string] - type, indirect value, given aux data ptr
+            // value can either be a string or a number. if a string is able to be parsed as a number, it is read as both
 
-            // Case 1: number
-            if (TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref reader, out ulong valueCase1))
-                return new GlobalDescriptor { Value = valueCase1 };
+            // Case 1: value
+            if (TryGetGlobalValueFromToken(ref reader, out GlobalValue valueCase1))
+                return new GlobalDescriptor { NumericValue = valueCase1.NumericValue, StringValue = valueCase1.StringValue, Indirect = false };
             if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.StartArray)
                 throw new JsonException();
             reader.Read();
-            // we're in case 2 or 3 or 4:
+            // we're in case 2, 3, or 4:
             // case 2: [number]
             //          ^ we're here
-            // case 3: [number, string]
+            // case 3: [value, string]
             //          ^ we're here
             // case 4: [[number], string]
             //          ^ we're here
-            if (TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref reader, out ulong valueCase2or3))
+            if (TryGetGlobalValueFromToken(ref reader, out GlobalValue valueCase2or3))
             {
                 // case 2 or 3
                 // case 2: [number]
                 //          ^ we're here
-                // case 3: [number, string]
+                // case 3: [value, string]
                 //          ^ we're here
                 reader.Read(); // end of array (case 2) or string (case 3)
                 if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.EndArray) // it was case 2
                 {
-                    return new GlobalDescriptor { Value = valueCase2or3, Indirect = true };
+                    if (valueCase2or3.NumericValue is null)
+                        throw new JsonException("Indirect global value could not be converted to a number.");
+                    return new GlobalDescriptor { NumericValue = valueCase2or3.NumericValue, StringValue = valueCase2or3.StringValue, Indirect = true };
                 }
                 if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.String) // it was case 3
                 {
@@ -227,7 +239,7 @@ public override GlobalDescriptor Read(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, Type typeToConv
                     reader.Read(); // end of array for case 3
                     if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.EndArray)
                         throw new JsonException();
-                    return new GlobalDescriptor { Type = type, Value = valueCase2or3 };
+                    return new GlobalDescriptor { Type = type, NumericValue = valueCase2or3.NumericValue, StringValue = valueCase2or3.StringValue, Indirect = false };
                 }
                 throw new JsonException();
             }
@@ -236,7 +248,7 @@ public override GlobalDescriptor Read(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, Type typeToConv
                 // case 4: [[number], string]
                 //          ^ we're here
                 reader.Read(); // number
-                if (!TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref reader, out ulong value))
+                if (!TryGetGlobalValueFromToken(ref reader, out GlobalValue valueCase4))
                     throw new JsonException();
                 reader.Read(); // end of inner array
                 if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.EndArray)
@@ -248,7 +260,9 @@ public override GlobalDescriptor Read(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, Type typeToConv
                 reader.Read(); // end of outer array
                 if (reader.TokenType != JsonTokenType.EndArray)
                     throw new JsonException();
-                return new GlobalDescriptor { Type = type, Value = value, Indirect = true };
+                if (valueCase4.NumericValue is null)
+                    throw new JsonException("Indirect global value could not be converted to a number.");
+                return new GlobalDescriptor { Type = type, NumericValue = valueCase4.NumericValue, StringValue = valueCase4.StringValue, Indirect = true };
             }
             throw new JsonException();
         }
@@ -259,7 +273,42 @@ public override void Write(Utf8JsonWriter writer, GlobalDescriptor value, JsonSe
         }
     }
 
-    // Somewhat flexible parsing of numbers, allowing json number tokens or strings as decimal or hex, possibly negatated.
+    private struct GlobalValue
+    {
+        public ulong? NumericValue;
+        public string? StringValue;
+    }
+
+    private static bool TryGetGlobalValueFromToken(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, out GlobalValue directGlobalValue)
+    {
+        bool foundNumeric = TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref reader, out ulong numericValue);
+        bool foundString = TryGetStringFromToken(ref reader, out string stringValue);
+        if (foundNumeric || foundString)
+        {
+            // this parsed as a valid direct global value
+            directGlobalValue = new GlobalValue
+            {
+                NumericValue = foundNumeric ? numericValue : null,
+                StringValue = foundString ? stringValue : null
+            };
+            return true;
+        }
+        directGlobalValue = default;
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    private static bool TryGetStringFromToken(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, out string value)
+    {
+        value = string.Empty;
+        if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.String && reader.GetString() is string stringValue)
+        {
+            value = stringValue;
+            return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    // Somewhat flexible parsing of numbers, allowing json number tokens or strings as decimal or hex, possibly negated.
     private static bool TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, out ulong value)
     {
         if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.Number)
@@ -303,7 +352,7 @@ private static bool TryGetUInt64FromToken(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, out ulong v
         return false;
     }
 
-    // Somewhat flexible parsing of numbers, allowing json number tokens or strings as either decimal or hex, possibly negated
+    // Somewhat flexible parsing of numbers, allowing json number tokens or strings as decimal or hex, possibly negated.
     private static bool TryGetInt32FromToken(ref Utf8JsonReader reader, out int value)
     {
         if (reader.TokenType == JsonTokenType.Number)
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorTarget.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorTarget.cs
index 018d77120ee7c1..e7f6ae13eee4b7 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorTarget.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/Microsoft.Diagnostics.DataContractReader/ContractDescriptorTarget.cs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ private readonly struct Configuration
     private readonly Reader _reader;
 
     private readonly Dictionary<string, int> _contracts = [];
-    private readonly IReadOnlyDictionary<string, (ulong Value, string? Type)> _globals = new Dictionary<string, (ulong, string?)>();
+    private readonly IReadOnlyDictionary<string, GlobalValue> _globals = new Dictionary<string, GlobalValue>();
     private readonly Dictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> _knownTypes = [];
     private readonly Dictionary<string, Target.TypeInfo> _types = [];
 
@@ -152,25 +152,43 @@ private ContractDescriptorTarget(Configuration config, ContractDescriptorParser.
         // Read globals and map indirect values to pointer data
         if (descriptor.Globals is not null)
         {
-            Dictionary<string, (ulong Value, string? Type)> globals = [];
+            Dictionary<string, GlobalValue> globalValues = new(descriptor.Globals.Count);
             foreach ((string name, ContractDescriptorParser.GlobalDescriptor global) in descriptor.Globals)
             {
-                ulong value = global.Value;
                 if (global.Indirect)
                 {
-                    if (value >= (ulong)pointerData.Length)
-                        throw new InvalidOperationException($"Invalid pointer data index {value}.");
+                    if (global.NumericValue.Value >= (ulong)pointerData.Length)
+                        throw new InvalidOperationException($"Invalid pointer data index {global.NumericValue.Value}.");
 
-                    value = pointerData[value].Value;
+                    globalValues[name] = new GlobalValue
+                    {
+                        NumericValue = pointerData[global.NumericValue.Value].Value,
+                        StringValue = global.StringValue,
+                        Type = global.Type
+                    };
+                }
+                else // direct
+                {
+                    globalValues[name] = new GlobalValue
+                    {
+                        NumericValue = global.NumericValue,
+                        StringValue = global.StringValue,
+                        Type = global.Type
+                    };
                 }
-
-                globals[name] = (value, global.Type);
             }
 
-            _globals = globals;
+            _globals = globalValues.AsReadOnly();
         }
     }
 
+    private struct GlobalValue
+    {
+        public ulong? NumericValue;
+        public string? StringValue;
+        public string? Type;
+    }
+
     // See docs/design/datacontracts/contract-descriptor.md
     private static bool TryReadContractDescriptor(
         ulong address,
@@ -496,6 +514,8 @@ public bool IsAlignedToPointerSize(ulong value)
     public override bool IsAlignedToPointerSize(TargetPointer pointer)
         => IsAligned(pointer.Value, _config.PointerSize);
 
+    #region reading globals
+
     public override bool TryReadGlobal<T>(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out T? value)
         => TryReadGlobal<T>(name, out value, out _);
 
@@ -503,12 +523,13 @@ public bool TryReadGlobal<T>(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out T? value, out
     {
         value = null;
         type = null;
-        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out (ulong Value, string? Type) global))
+        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out GlobalValue global) || global.NumericValue is null)
         {
+            // Not found or does not contain a numeric value
             return false;
         }
         type = global.Type;
-        value = T.CreateChecked(global.Value);
+        value = T.CreateChecked(global.NumericValue.Value);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -517,11 +538,10 @@ public override T ReadGlobal<T>(string name)
 
     public T ReadGlobal<T>(string name, out string? type) where T : struct, INumber<T>
     {
-        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out (ulong Value, string? Type) global))
+        if (!TryReadGlobal(name, out T? value, out type))
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Failed to read global {typeof(T)} '{name}'.");
 
-        type = global.Type;
-        return T.CreateChecked(global.Value);
+        return value.Value;
     }
 
     public override bool TryReadGlobalPointer(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out TargetPointer? value)
@@ -530,12 +550,10 @@ public override bool TryReadGlobalPointer(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out T
     public bool TryReadGlobalPointer(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out TargetPointer? value, out string? type)
     {
         value = null;
-        type = null;
-        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out (ulong Value, string? Type) global))
+        if (!TryReadGlobal(name, out ulong? innerValue, out type))
             return false;
 
-        type = global.Type;
-        value = new TargetPointer(global.Value);
+        value = new TargetPointer(innerValue.Value);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -544,13 +562,42 @@ public override TargetPointer ReadGlobalPointer(string name)
 
     public TargetPointer ReadGlobalPointer(string name, out string? type)
     {
-        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out (ulong Value, string? Type) global))
+        if (!TryReadGlobalPointer(name, out TargetPointer? value, out type))
             throw new InvalidOperationException($"Failed to read global pointer '{name}'.");
 
+        return value.Value;
+    }
+
+    public override string ReadStringGlobal(string name)
+        => ReadStringGlobal(name, out _);
+
+    public string ReadStringGlobal(string name, out string? type)
+    {
+        if (!TryReadStringGlobal(name, out string? value, out type))
+            throw new InvalidOperationException($"Failed to read string global '{name}'.");
+
+        return value;
+    }
+
+    public override bool TryReadStringGlobal(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out string? value)
+        => TryReadStringGlobal(name, out value, out _);
+
+    public bool TryReadStringGlobal(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out string? value, out string? type)
+    {
+        value = null;
+        type = null;
+        if (!_globals.TryGetValue(name, out GlobalValue global) || global.StringValue is null)
+        {
+            // Not found or does not contain a string value
+            return false;
+        }
         type = global.Type;
-        return new TargetPointer(global.Value);
+        value = global.StringValue;
+        return true;
     }
 
+    #endregion
+
     public override TypeInfo GetTypeInfo(DataType type)
     {
         if (!_knownTypes.TryGetValue(type, out Target.TypeInfo typeInfo))
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorBuilder.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorBuilder.cs
index ff941454038e43..51798d57f1b8d7 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorBuilder.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ internal class ContractDescriptorBuilder : MockMemorySpace.Builder
 
     private IReadOnlyCollection<string> _contracts;
     private IDictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> _types;
-    private IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? TypeName)> _globals;
+    private IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? StringValue, string? TypeName)> _globals;
     private IReadOnlyCollection<ulong> _indirectValues;
 
     public ContractDescriptorBuilder(TargetTestHelpers targetTestHelpers)
@@ -51,12 +51,23 @@ public ContractDescriptorBuilder SetGlobals(IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ul
             throw new InvalidOperationException("Context already created");
         if (_globals != null)
             throw new InvalidOperationException("Globals already set");
-        _globals = globals.Select(g => (g.Name, (ulong?)g.Value, (uint?)null, g.TypeName)).ToArray();
+        _globals = globals.Select(g => (g.Name, (ulong?)g.Value, (uint?)null, (string?)null, g.TypeName)).ToArray();
         _indirectValues = null;
         return this;
     }
 
-    public ContractDescriptorBuilder SetGlobals(IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? TypeName)> globals, IReadOnlyCollection<ulong> indirectValues)
+    public ContractDescriptorBuilder SetGlobals(IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ulong? Value, string? StringValue, string? TypeName)> globals)
+    {
+        if (_created)
+            throw new InvalidOperationException("Context already created");
+        if (_globals != null)
+            throw new InvalidOperationException("Globals already set");
+        _globals = globals.Select(g => (g.Name, (ulong?)g.Value, (uint?)null, g.StringValue, g.TypeName)).ToArray();
+        _indirectValues = null;
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    public ContractDescriptorBuilder SetGlobals(IReadOnlyCollection<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? StringValue, string? TypeName)> globals, IReadOnlyCollection<ulong> indirectValues)
     {
         if (_created)
             throw new InvalidOperationException("Context already created");
@@ -104,7 +115,7 @@ private string MakeContractsJson()
             "baseline": "empty",
             "contracts": { {{interpolatedContracts}} },
             "types": { {{metadataTypesJson}} },
-            "globals": { {{metadataGlobalsJson}} }
+            "globals": { {{metadataGlobalsJson}} },
         }
         """);
         MockMemorySpace.HeapFragment json = new()
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorHelpers.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorHelpers.cs
index d17759a92c6aee..f9ba9241d41384 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorHelpers.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ContractDescriptorHelpers.cs
@@ -119,14 +119,14 @@ public static string MakeTypesJson(IDictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> types)
 
     public static string MakeGlobalsJson(IEnumerable<(string Name, ulong Value, string? Type)> globals)
     {
-        return MakeGlobalsJson(globals.Select(g => (g.Name, (ulong?)g.Value, (uint?)null, g.Type)));
+        return MakeGlobalsJson(globals.Select(g => (g.Name, (ulong?)g.Value, (uint?)null, (string?)null, g.Type)));
     }
 
-    public static string MakeGlobalsJson(IEnumerable<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? Type)> globals)
+    public static string MakeGlobalsJson(IEnumerable<(string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? StringValue, string? Type)> globals)
     {
         return string.Join(',', globals.Select(FormatGlobal));
 
-        static string FormatGlobal((string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? Type) global)
+        static string FormatGlobal((string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? StringValue, string? Type) global)
         {
             if (global.Value is ulong value)
             {
@@ -136,6 +136,10 @@ static string FormatGlobal((string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, stri
             {
                 return $"\"{global.Name}\": {FormatIndirect(index, global.Type)}";
             }
+            else if (global.StringValue is string stringValue)
+            {
+                return $"\"{global.Name}\": {FormatString(stringValue, global.Type)}";
+            }
             else
             {
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("Global must have a value or indirect index");
@@ -150,6 +154,10 @@ static string FormatIndirect(uint value, string? type)
         {
             return type is null ? $"[{value}]" : $"[[{value}],\"{type}\"]";
         }
+        static string FormatString(string value, string? type)
+        {
+            return type is null ? $"\"{value}\"" : $"[\"{value}\",\"{type}\"]";
+        }
     }
 
     #endregion JSON formatting
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ParserTests.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ParserTests.cs
index a74167437a240a..6a231f19dbc766 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ParserTests.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/ParserTests.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // The .NET Foundation licenses this file to you under the MIT license.
 
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Text.Json;
 using Xunit;
 
@@ -130,6 +131,11 @@ public void ParsesGlobals()
                 "globalTypedPtr": [[4], "uintptr"],
                 "globalHex": "0x1234",
                 "globalNegative": -2,
+                "globalTypedNegative": [-5, "int32"],
+                "globalString": "Hello",
+                "globalTypedString": ["World", "string"],
+                "globalIntLarge": 18446744073709551615,
+                "globalIntLargeNegative": -9223372036854775808,
                 "globalStringyInt": "17",
                 "globalStringyNegative": "-2",
                 "globalNegativeHex": "-0xff",
@@ -145,37 +151,90 @@ public void ParsesGlobals()
         Assert.Equal("empty", descriptor.Baseline);
         Assert.Empty(descriptor.Contracts);
         Assert.Empty(descriptor.Types);
-        Assert.Equal(13, descriptor.Globals.Count);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)1, descriptor.Globals["globalInt"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalInt"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)2, descriptor.Globals["globalPtr"].Value);
-        Assert.True(descriptor.Globals["globalPtr"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)3, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"].Indirect);
+
+        Assert.Equal(18, descriptor.Globals.Count);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)1, descriptor.Globals["globalInt"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalInt"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalInt"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)2, descriptor.Globals["globalPtr"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalPtr"].StringValue);
+        AssertIndirect(descriptor.Globals["globalPtr"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)3, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"]);
         Assert.Equal("uint8", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedInt"].Type);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)4, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"].Value);
-        Assert.True(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"].Indirect);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)4, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"].StringValue);
+        AssertIndirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"]);
         Assert.Equal("uintptr", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedPtr"].Type);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalHex"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalHex"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0xfffffffffffffffe, descriptor.Globals["globalNegative"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalNegative"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)17, descriptor.Globals["globalStringyInt"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyInt"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0xfffffffffffffffe, descriptor.Globals["globalStringyNegative"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyNegative"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0xffffffffffffff01, descriptor.Globals["globalNegativeHex"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalNegativeHex"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x123456789abcdef, descriptor.Globals["globalBigStringyInt"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalBigStringyInt"].Indirect);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalStringyPtr"].Value);
-        Assert.True(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyPtr"].Indirect);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalHex"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("0x1234", descriptor.Globals["globalHex"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalHex"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal(unchecked((ulong)-2), descriptor.Globals["globalNegative"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalNegative"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalNegative"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal(unchecked((ulong)-5), descriptor.Globals["globalTypedNegative"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedNegative"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedNegative"]);
+        Assert.Equal("int32", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedNegative"].Type);
+
+        Assert.Equal("Hello", descriptor.Globals["globalString"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalString"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal("World", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedString"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedString"]);
+        Assert.Equal("string", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedString"].Type);
+
+        Assert.Equal(ulong.MaxValue, descriptor.Globals["globalIntLarge"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalIntLarge"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalIntLarge"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal(unchecked((ulong)long.MinValue), descriptor.Globals["globalIntLargeNegative"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Null(descriptor.Globals["globalIntLargeNegative"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalIntLargeNegative"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)17, descriptor.Globals["globalStringyInt"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("17", descriptor.Globals["globalStringyInt"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyInt"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal(unchecked((ulong)-2), descriptor.Globals["globalStringyNegative"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("-2", descriptor.Globals["globalStringyNegative"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyNegative"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal(unchecked((ulong)-0xff), descriptor.Globals["globalNegativeHex"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("-0xff", descriptor.Globals["globalNegativeHex"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalNegativeHex"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x123456789abcdef, descriptor.Globals["globalBigStringyInt"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("0x123456789abcdef", descriptor.Globals["globalBigStringyInt"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalBigStringyInt"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalStringyPtr"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("0x1234", descriptor.Globals["globalStringyPtr"].StringValue);
+        AssertIndirect(descriptor.Globals["globalStringyPtr"]);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("0x1234", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"].StringValue);
+        AssertDirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"]);
         Assert.Equal("int", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"].Type);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"].Value);
-        Assert.False(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyInt"].Indirect);
+
+        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"].NumericValue);
+        Assert.Equal("0x1234", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"].StringValue);
+        AssertIndirect(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"]);
         Assert.Equal("int", descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"].Type);
-        Assert.Equal((ulong)0x1234, descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"].Value);
-        Assert.True(descriptor.Globals["globalTypedStringyPtr"].Indirect);
+
+        void AssertIndirect(ContractDescriptorParser.GlobalDescriptor descriptor)
+            => Assert.True(descriptor.Indirect);
+
+        void AssertDirect(ContractDescriptorParser.GlobalDescriptor descriptor)
+            => Assert.False(descriptor.Indirect);
     }
 
     [Fact]
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/TargetTests.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/TargetTests.cs
index 2c7cc3e5d454a5..01b5c1c5a3309d 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/TargetTests.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/ContractDescriptor/TargetTests.cs
@@ -122,9 +122,42 @@ public void ReadIndirectGlobalValue(MockTarget.Architecture arch)
 
         ValidateGlobals(target, expected);
 
-        static (string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? Type) MakeGlobalToIndirect((string Name, ulong Value, string? Type) global, int index)
+        static (string Name, ulong? Value, uint? IndirectIndex, string? StringValue, string? Type) MakeGlobalToIndirect((string Name, ulong Value, string? Type) global, int index)
         {
-            return (global.Name, null, (uint?)index, global.Type);
+            return (global.Name, null, (uint?)index, null, global.Type);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static readonly (string Name, string Value, ulong? NumericValue)[] GlobalStringyValues =
+    [
+        ("value", "testString", null),
+        ("emptyString", "", null),
+        ("specialChars", "string with spaces & special chars ✓", null),
+        ("longString", new string('a', 1024), null),
+        ("hexString", "0x1234", 0x1234),
+        ("decimalString", "123456", 123456),
+        ("negativeString", "-1234", unchecked((ulong)-1234)),
+        ("negativeHexString", "-0x1234", unchecked((ulong)-0x1234)),
+    ];
+
+    [Theory]
+    [ClassData(typeof(MockTarget.StdArch))]
+    public void ReadGlobalStringyValues(MockTarget.Architecture arch)
+    {
+        TargetTestHelpers targetTestHelpers = new(arch);
+        ContractDescriptorBuilder builder = new(targetTestHelpers);
+        builder.SetTypes(new Dictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo>())
+            .SetContracts([])
+            .SetGlobals(GlobalStringyValues.Select(MakeGlobalsToStrings).ToArray());
+
+        bool success = builder.TryCreateTarget(out ContractDescriptorTarget? target);
+        Assert.True(success);
+
+        ValidateGlobalStrings(target, GlobalStringyValues);
+
+        static (string Name, ulong? Value, string? StringValue, string? Type) MakeGlobalsToStrings((string Name, string Value, ulong? NumericValue) global)
+        {
+            return (global.Name, null, global.Value, "string");
         }
     }
 
@@ -252,4 +285,56 @@ void AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo<T>(T expected, T actual)
             Assert.True((expected is null && actual is null) || expected.Equals(actual), $"Expected: {expected}. Actual: {actual}. [test case: {caller} in {filePath}:{lineNumber}]");
         }
     }
+
+    private static void ValidateGlobalStrings(
+        ContractDescriptorTarget target,
+        (string Name, string Value, ulong? NumericValue)[] globals,
+        [CallerMemberName] string caller = "",
+        [CallerFilePath] string filePath = "",
+        [CallerLineNumber] int lineNumber = 0)
+    {
+        foreach (var (name, value, numericValue) in globals)
+        {
+            string actualString;
+
+            Assert.True(target.TryReadStringGlobal(name, out actualString));
+            AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(value, actualString);
+
+            actualString = target.ReadStringGlobal(name);
+            AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(value, actualString);
+
+            if (numericValue != null)
+            {
+                ulong? actualNumericValue;
+
+                Assert.True(target.TryReadGlobal(name, out actualNumericValue));
+                AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(numericValue.Value, actualNumericValue.Value);
+
+                actualNumericValue = target.ReadGlobal<ulong>(name);
+                AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(numericValue.Value, actualNumericValue.Value);
+
+                TargetPointer? actualPointer;
+
+                Assert.True(target.TryReadGlobalPointer(name, out actualPointer));
+                AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(numericValue.Value, actualPointer.Value.Value);
+
+                actualPointer = target.ReadGlobalPointer(name);
+                AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo(numericValue.Value, actualPointer.Value.Value);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // if there is no numeric value, assert that reading as numeric fails
+                Assert.False(target.TryReadGlobal(name, out ulong? _));
+                Assert.ThrowsAny<Exception>(() => target.ReadGlobal<ulong>(name));
+                Assert.False(target.TryReadGlobalPointer(name, out TargetPointer? _));
+                Assert.ThrowsAny<Exception>(() => target.ReadGlobalPointer(name));
+            }
+        }
+
+        void AssertEqualsWithCallerInfo<T>(T expected, T actual)
+        {
+            Assert.True((expected is null && actual is null) || expected.Equals(actual), $"Expected: {expected}. Actual: {actual}. [test case: {caller} in {filePath}:{lineNumber}]");
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/TestPlaceholderTarget.cs b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/TestPlaceholderTarget.cs
index 6a5ca9328f39ee..d2fd334dc0859a 100644
--- a/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/TestPlaceholderTarget.cs
+++ b/src/native/managed/cdacreader/tests/TestPlaceholderTarget.cs
@@ -20,12 +20,13 @@ internal class TestPlaceholderTarget : Target
     private readonly Target.IDataCache _dataCache;
     private readonly Dictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> _typeInfoCache;
     private readonly (string Name, ulong Value)[] _globals;
+    private readonly (string Name, string Value)[] _globalStrings;
 
     internal delegate int ReadFromTargetDelegate(ulong address, Span<byte> buffer);
 
     private readonly ReadFromTargetDelegate _dataReader;
 
-    public TestPlaceholderTarget(MockTarget.Architecture arch, ReadFromTargetDelegate reader, Dictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> types = null, (string Name, ulong Value)[] globals = null)
+    public TestPlaceholderTarget(MockTarget.Architecture arch, ReadFromTargetDelegate reader, Dictionary<DataType, Target.TypeInfo> types = null, (string Name, ulong Value)[] globals = null, (string Name, string Value)[] globalStrings = null)
     {
         IsLittleEndian = arch.IsLittleEndian;
         PointerSize = arch.Is64Bit ? 8 : 4;
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ public TestPlaceholderTarget(MockTarget.Architecture arch, ReadFromTargetDelegat
         _typeInfoCache = types ?? [];
         _dataReader = reader;
         _globals = globals ?? [];
+        _globalStrings = globalStrings ?? [];
     }
 
     internal void SetContracts(ContractRegistry contracts)
@@ -132,6 +134,33 @@ public override T ReadGlobal<T>(string name)
         throw new NotImplementedException();
     }
 
+    public override string ReadStringGlobal(string name)
+    {
+        if (TryReadStringGlobal(name, out string? value))
+        {
+            return value;
+        }
+
+        throw new NotImplementedException();
+    }
+
+    public override bool TryReadStringGlobal(string name, [NotNullWhen(true)] out string? value)
+    {
+        value = null;
+
+        // first check global strings
+        foreach (var global in _globalStrings)
+        {
+            if (global.Name == name)
+            {
+                value = global.Value;
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
     public override T Read<T>(ulong address) => DefaultRead<T>(address);
 
 #region subclass reader helpers