diff --git a/repos/base/include/base/trace/types.h b/repos/base/include/base/trace/types.h
index b096eddb9d..c110802231 100644
--- a/repos/base/include/base/trace/types.h
+++ b/repos/base/include/base/trace/types.h
@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ class Genode::Trace::Subject_info
 
 		enum State { INVALID, UNTRACED, TRACED, FOREIGN, ERROR, DEAD };
 
+		static char const *state_name(State state)
+		{
+			switch (state) {
+			case INVALID:  return "INVALID";
+			case UNTRACED: return "UNTRACED";
+			case TRACED:   return "TRACED";
+			case FOREIGN:  return "FOREIGN";
+			case ERROR:    return "ERROR";
+			case DEAD:     return "DEAD";
+			}
+			return "INVALID";
+		}
+
 	private:
 
 		Session_label _session_label;