diff --git a/src/st/st-theme-node.c b/src/st/st-theme-node.c
index a9a1fb58c..51355a32a 100644
--- a/src/st/st-theme-node.c
+++ b/src/st/st-theme-node.c
@@ -3894,3 +3894,30 @@ st_theme_node_paint_equal (StThemeNode *node,
 
   return TRUE;
 }
+
+gchar *
+st_theme_node_to_string (StThemeNode *node)
+{
+  GString *desc;
+  gchar **it;
+
+  if (!node)
+    return g_strdup ("[null]");
+
+  desc = g_string_new (NULL);
+  g_string_append_printf (desc,
+                          "[%p %s#%s",
+                          node,
+                          g_type_name (node->element_type),
+                          node->element_id);
+
+  for (it = node->element_classes; it && *it; it++)
+    g_string_append_printf (desc, ".%s", *it);
+
+  for (it = node->pseudo_classes; it && *it; it++)
+    g_string_append_printf (desc, ":%s", *it);
+
+  g_string_append_c (desc, ']');
+
+  return g_string_free (desc, FALSE);
+}
diff --git a/src/st/st-theme-node.h b/src/st/st-theme-node.h
index fc6caa130..dabd5f544 100644
--- a/src/st/st-theme-node.h
+++ b/src/st/st-theme-node.h
@@ -271,6 +271,8 @@ void st_theme_node_paint (StThemeNode            *node,
 void st_theme_node_invalidate_background_image (StThemeNode *node);
 void st_theme_node_invalidate_border_image (StThemeNode *node);
 
+gchar * st_theme_node_to_string (StThemeNode *node);
+
 void st_theme_node_paint_state_init (StThemeNodePaintState *state);
 void st_theme_node_paint_state_free (StThemeNodePaintState *state);
 void st_theme_node_paint_state_copy (StThemeNodePaintState *state,