diff --git a/test/boost/commitlog_test.cc b/test/boost/commitlog_test.cc
index 94ae7d2074..f765d01586 100644
--- a/test/boost/commitlog_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/commitlog_test.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include <set>
 #include <deque>
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
 #include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/future-util.hh>
diff --git a/test/boost/compound_test.cc b/test/boost/compound_test.cc
index b4d73bed0e..909948e22f 100644
--- a/test/boost/compound_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/compound_test.cc
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@
  */
 
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
 #include "test/lib/random_utils.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 #include "compound.hh"
 #include "compound_compat.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/config_test.cc b/test/boost/config_test.cc
index 8327741885..49350ac0b2 100644
--- a/test/boost/config_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/config_test.cc
@@ -10,8 +10,10 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 #include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/future-util.hh>
 #include "db/config.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/expr_test.cc b/test/boost/expr_test.cc
index f22dba8a73..e393476346 100644
--- a/test/boost/expr_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/expr_test.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include <utility>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include "cql3/expr/expression.hh"
 #include "utils/overloaded_functor.hh"
 #include "utils/to_string.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/flat_mutation_reader_test.cc b/test/boost/flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
index d3a00b2e03..c483d7f9b3 100644
--- a/test/boost/flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/flat_mutation_reader_test.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
 #include <seastar/util/closeable.hh>
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include "mutation/mutation.hh"
 #include "mutation/mutation_fragment.hh"
 #include "readers/flat_mutation_reader_v2.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/hint_test.cc b/test/boost/hint_test.cc
index bf977332e1..195fa02526 100644
--- a/test/boost/hint_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/hint_test.cc
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
 #include <seastar/core/smp.hh>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 
 #include "db/hints/sync_point.hh"
 
@@ -21,9 +22,8 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& out, const replay_position& p) {
 
 namespace db::hints {
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& out, const sync_point& sp) {
-    out << "{regular_per_shard_rps: " << sp.regular_per_shard_rps
-        << ", mv_per_shard_rps: " << sp.mv_per_shard_rps
-        << "}";
+    fmt::print(out, "{{regular_per_shard_rps: {}, mv_per_shard_rps: {}}}",
+               sp.regular_per_shard_rps, sp.mv_per_shard_rps);
     return out;
 }
 }
diff --git a/test/boost/idl_test.cc b/test/boost/idl_test.cc
index 94dc601f38..6f5af9a0e7 100644
--- a/test/boost/idl_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/idl_test.cc
@@ -12,9 +12,13 @@
 
 #include <seastar/util/variant_utils.hh>
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include <vector>
 #include <optional>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 #include "bytes.hh"
 #include "bytes_ostream.hh"
 
@@ -51,9 +55,16 @@ public:
 thread_local int non_final_composite_test_object::construction_count = 0;
 thread_local int final_composite_test_object::construction_count = 0;
 
+template <> struct fmt::formatter<simple_compound> : fmt::formatter<string_view> {
+    auto format(const simple_compound& sc, fmt::format_context& ctx) const {
+        return fmt::format_to(ctx.out(), " {{ foo: {}, bar: {} }}", sc.foo, sc.bar);
+    }
+};
+
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const simple_compound& sc)
 {
-    return os << " { foo: " << sc.foo << ", bar: " << sc.bar << " }";
+    fmt::print(os, "{}", sc);
+    return os;
 }
 
 struct compound_with_optional {
@@ -69,11 +80,11 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const compound_with_optional& v)
 {
     os << " { first: ";
     if (v.first) {
-        os << *v.first;
+        fmt::print(os, "{}", *v.first);
     } else {
-        os << "<disengaged>";
+        fmt::print(os, "<disengaged>");
     }
-    os << ", second: " << v.second << " }";
+    fmt::print(os, ", second: {}}}", v.second);
     return os;
 }
 
@@ -87,7 +98,8 @@ struct wrapped_vector {
 
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const wrapped_vector& v)
 {
-    return os << v.vector;
+    fmt::print(os, "{}", v.vector);
+    return os;
 }
 
 struct vectors_of_compounds {
diff --git a/test/boost/mutation_query_test.cc b/test/boost/mutation_query_test.cc
index 50cffc5553..e565c251c1 100644
--- a/test/boost/mutation_query_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/mutation_query_test.cc
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
  */
 
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include <boost/range/adaptor/transformed.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm/copy.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm_ext/push_back.hpp>
@@ -21,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "test/lib/result_set_assertions.hh"
 #include "test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh"
 #include "test/lib/reader_concurrency_semaphore.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 #include "querier.hh"
 #include "mutation_query.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc b/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
index 49f20d16cf..04470d7c82 100644
--- a/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/mutation_reader_test.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <source_location>
 
 #include <fmt/ranges.h>
+#include <fmt/std.h>
 
 #include <seastar/core/sleep.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/do_with.hh>
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "test/lib/simple_position_reader_queue.hh"
 #include "test/lib/fragment_scatterer.hh"
 #include "test/lib/key_utils.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 #include "dht/sharder.hh"
 #include "schema/schema_builder.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/mutation_test.cc b/test/boost/mutation_test.cc
index 1f83b80600..2d0bc2a6fe 100644
--- a/test/boost/mutation_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/mutation_test.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include "utils/preempt.hh"
 #include "utils/xx_hasher.hh"
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include <seastar/core/sstring.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/do_with.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/thread.hh>
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@
 #include "test/lib/mutation_assertions.hh"
 #include "test/lib/random_utils.hh"
 #include "test/lib/simple_schema.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 #include "test/lib/log.hh"
 #include "types/map.hh"
 #include "types/list.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/mutation_writer_test.cc b/test/boost/mutation_writer_test.cc
index 4b043d177f..74ee7fe8cc 100644
--- a/test/boost/mutation_writer_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/mutation_writer_test.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "test/lib/random_utils.hh"
 #include "test/lib/random_schema.hh"
 #include "test/lib/log.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 #include <boost/range/adaptor/map.hpp>
 #include "readers/from_mutations_v2.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/nonwrapping_interval_test.cc b/test/boost/nonwrapping_interval_test.cc
index 50a1f3711f..ec2e4c0977 100644
--- a/test/boost/nonwrapping_interval_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/nonwrapping_interval_test.cc
@@ -11,12 +11,15 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include "boost/icl/interval.hpp"
 #include "boost/icl/interval_map.hpp"
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
 #include "schema/schema_builder.hh"
 
 #include "locator/token_metadata.hh"
 
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
+
 using ring_position = dht::ring_position;
 
 static
diff --git a/test/boost/query_processor_test.cc b/test/boost/query_processor_test.cc
index 9b98e1ed88..e780ca14f2 100644
--- a/test/boost/query_processor_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/query_processor_test.cc
@@ -11,12 +11,14 @@
 #include <boost/range/adaptors.hpp>
 #include <boost/range/algorithm.hpp>
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <iterator>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
 #include "test/lib/cql_test_env.hh"
 #include "test/lib/cql_assertions.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 #include <seastar/core/future-util.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/metrics_api.hh>
diff --git a/test/boost/service_level_controller_test.cc b/test/boost/service_level_controller_test.cc
index e9bd30c8d5..8e3064538c 100644
--- a/test/boost/service_level_controller_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/service_level_controller_test.cc
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@
 
 
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+#include <fmt/std.h>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <iostream>
 
 #include "seastarx.hh"
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 #include <seastar/testing/thread_test_case.hh>
 #include <seastar/core/future-util.hh>
 #include "service/qos/service_level_controller.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/sstable_resharding_test.cc b/test/boost/sstable_resharding_test.cc
index 4a6e0d4acb..bdd2a3b9bf 100644
--- a/test/boost/sstable_resharding_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/sstable_resharding_test.cc
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <memory>
 #include <utility>
 
diff --git a/test/boost/statement_restrictions_test.cc b/test/boost/statement_restrictions_test.cc
index f441b640be..dfdc295bd1 100644
--- a/test/boost/statement_restrictions_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/statement_restrictions_test.cc
@@ -11,11 +11,14 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include "cql3/restrictions/statement_restrictions.hh"
 #include "cql3/expr/expr-utils.hh"
 #include "cql3/util.hh"
 #include "test/lib/cql_assertions.hh"
 #include "test/lib/cql_test_env.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 using namespace cql3;
 
diff --git a/test/boost/top_k_test.cc b/test/boost/top_k_test.cc
index 57487bc91e..b06c67fd51 100644
--- a/test/boost/top_k_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/top_k_test.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include "utils/top_k.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <vector>
 #include <algorithm>
 
diff --git a/test/boost/transport_test.cc b/test/boost/transport_test.cc
index e93b6d174a..ca9266e9ad 100644
--- a/test/boost/transport_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/transport_test.cc
@@ -8,10 +8,13 @@
 
 #include "test/lib/scylla_test_case.hh"
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
+
 #include "transport/request.hh"
 #include "transport/response.hh"
 
 #include "test/lib/random_utils.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 namespace cql3 {
 
diff --git a/test/boost/user_function_test.cc b/test/boost/user_function_test.cc
index 58c5ca04cc..4be5cdd0fc 100644
--- a/test/boost/user_function_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/user_function_test.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "db/config.hh"
 #include "test/lib/tmpdir.hh"
 #include "test/lib/exception_utils.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 
 using ire = exceptions::invalid_request_exception;
 using exception_predicate::message_equals;
diff --git a/test/boost/view_build_test.cc b/test/boost/view_build_test.cc
index bb68fc78f4..20dcc4eeaf 100644
--- a/test/boost/view_build_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/view_build_test.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "test/lib/key_utils.hh"
 #include "test/lib/mutation_source_test.hh"
 #include "test/lib/mutation_assertions.hh"
+#include "test/lib/test_utils.hh"
 #include "utils/ranges.hh"
 
 #include "readers/from_mutations_v2.hh"
diff --git a/test/boost/wrapping_interval_test.cc b/test/boost/wrapping_interval_test.cc
index 3a0222424a..7c197e2d5b 100644
--- a/test/boost/wrapping_interval_test.cc
+++ b/test/boost/wrapping_interval_test.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
 #include "boost/icl/interval_map.hpp"
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include <unordered_set>
 
 #include "schema/schema_builder.hh"
diff --git a/test/perf/perf_fast_forward.cc b/test/perf/perf_fast_forward.cc
index b9f8422e60..3615fc222a 100644
--- a/test/perf/perf_fast_forward.cc
+++ b/test/perf/perf_fast_forward.cc
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ namespace sstables {
     extern bool use_binary_search_in_promoted_index;
 } // namespace sstables
 
+namespace std {
+// required by boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(vector<string>), which is in turn used
+// by boost::program_option for printing out the default value of an option
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const std::vector<string>& v) {
+    return os << fmt::format("{}", v);
+}
+}
+
 reactor::io_stats s;
 
 static bool errors_found = false;
@@ -1965,8 +1973,8 @@ int scylla_fast_forward_main(int argc, char** argv) {
             logging::logger_registry().set_logger_level("sstable", seastar::log_level::trace);
         }
 
-        std::cout << "Data directory: " << db_cfg.data_file_directories() << "\n";
-        std::cout << "Output directory: " << output_dir << "\n";
+        fmt::print("Data directory: {}\n", db_cfg.data_file_directories());
+        fmt::print("Output directory: {}\n", output_dir);
 
         auto init = [&app] {
             auto conf_seed = app.configuration()["random-seed"];
diff --git a/tools/scylla-sstable.cc b/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
index 1c6867494b..f4950d062f 100644
--- a/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
+++ b/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@ using namespace tools::utils;
 
 using operation_func = void(*)(schema_ptr, reader_permit, const std::vector<sstables::shared_sstable>&, sstables::sstables_manager&, const bpo::variables_map&);
 
+namespace std {
+// required by boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(vector<string>), which is in turn used
+// by boost::program_option for printing out the default value of an option
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const std::vector<sstring>& v) {
+    return os << fmt::format("{}", v);
+}
+}
+
 namespace {
 
 const auto app_name = "sstable";
diff --git a/tools/scylla-types.cc b/tools/scylla-types.cc
index d754a33027..079f4a4452 100644
--- a/tools/scylla-types.cc
+++ b/tools/scylla-types.cc
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <boost/range/adaptor/map.hpp>
 #include <seastar/core/coroutine.hh>
 
+#include <fmt/ranges.h>
 #include "compound.hh"
 #include "db/marshal/type_parser.hh"
 #include "schema/schema_builder.hh"
@@ -22,6 +23,14 @@ using namespace tools::utils;
 
 namespace bpo = boost::program_options;
 
+namespace std {
+// required by boost::lexical_cast<std::string>(vector<string>), which is in turn used
+// by boost::program_option for printing out the default value of an option
+static std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const std::vector<sstring>& v) {
+    return os << fmt::format("{}", v);
+}
+}
+
 namespace {
 
 const auto app_name = "types";