diff --git a/src/client/context.c b/src/client/context.c
index 2fb51bc50..00e0ed85a 100644
--- a/src/client/context.c
+++ b/src/client/context.c
@@ -295,6 +295,25 @@ pinos_context_init (PinosContext * context)
                     context);
 }
 
+/**
+ * pinos_context_state_as_string:
+ * @state: a #PinosContextState
+ *
+ * Return the string representation of @state.
+ *
+ * Returns: the string representation of @state.
+ */
+const gchar *
+pinos_context_state_as_string (PinosContextState state)
+{
+  GEnumValue *val;
+
+  val = g_enum_get_value (G_ENUM_CLASS (g_type_class_ref (PINOS_TYPE_CONTEXT_STATE)),
+                          state);
+
+  return val == NULL ? "invalid-state" : val->value_nick;
+}
+
 /**
  * pinos_context_new:
  * @context: a #GMainContext to run in
diff --git a/src/client/context.h b/src/client/context.h
index bc9b874d3..b9b5aa8a5 100644
--- a/src/client/context.h
+++ b/src/client/context.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ typedef enum {
   PINOS_CONTEXT_STATE_READY        = 3,
 } PinosContextState;
 
+const gchar * pinos_context_state_as_string (PinosContextState state);
+
 /**
  * PinosContext:
  *
diff --git a/src/client/introspect.c b/src/client/introspect.c
index 87defa35a..16b115ed4 100644
--- a/src/client/introspect.c
+++ b/src/client/introspect.c
@@ -229,6 +229,25 @@ pinos_context_get_client_info_by_id (PinosContext *context,
   cb (context, NULL, user_data);
 }
 
+/**
+ * pinos_source_state_as_string:
+ * @state: a #PinosSourceState
+ *
+ * Return the string representation of @state.
+ *
+ * Returns: the string representation of @state.
+ */
+const gchar *
+pinos_source_state_as_string (PinosSourceState state)
+{
+  GEnumValue *val;
+
+  val = g_enum_get_value (G_ENUM_CLASS (g_type_class_ref (PINOS_TYPE_SOURCE_STATE)),
+                          state);
+
+  return val == NULL ? "invalid-state" : val->value_nick;
+}
+
 static void
 source_fill_info (PinosSourceInfo *info, GDBusProxy *proxy)
 {
@@ -325,6 +344,25 @@ pinos_context_get_source_info_by_id (PinosContext *context,
   cb (context, NULL, user_data);
 }
 
+/**
+ * pinos_source_output_state_as_string:
+ * @state: a #PinosSourceOutputState
+ *
+ * Return the string representation of @state.
+ *
+ * Returns: the string representation of @state.
+ */
+const gchar *
+pinos_source_output_state_as_string (PinosSourceOutputState state)
+{
+  GEnumValue *val;
+
+  val = g_enum_get_value (G_ENUM_CLASS (g_type_class_ref (PINOS_TYPE_SOURCE_OUTPUT_STATE)),
+                          state);
+
+  return val == NULL ? "invalid-state" : val->value_nick;
+}
+
 static void
 source_output_fill_info (PinosSourceOutputInfo *info, GDBusProxy *proxy)
 {
diff --git a/src/client/introspect.h b/src/client/introspect.h
index 97c60ac4c..c9c630f80 100644
--- a/src/client/introspect.h
+++ b/src/client/introspect.h
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ typedef enum {
   PINOS_SOURCE_STATE_RUNNING = 3,
 } PinosSourceState;
 
+const gchar * pinos_source_state_as_string (PinosSourceState state);
+
 /**
  * PinosSourceInfo:
  * @id: generic id of the source
@@ -190,6 +192,8 @@ typedef enum {
   PINOS_SOURCE_OUTPUT_STATE_STREAMING = 2,
 } PinosSourceOutputState;
 
+const gchar * pinos_source_output_state_as_string (PinosSourceOutputState state);
+
 /**
  * PinosSourceOutputInfo:
  * @id: generic id of the output
diff --git a/src/client/stream.c b/src/client/stream.c
index f7e453a1b..434098518 100644
--- a/src/client/stream.c
+++ b/src/client/stream.c
@@ -402,6 +402,25 @@ pinos_stream_init (PinosStream * stream)
   priv->state = PINOS_STREAM_STATE_UNCONNECTED;
 }
 
+/**
+ * pinos_stream_state_as_string:
+ * @state: a #PinosStreamState
+ *
+ * Return the string representation of @state.
+ *
+ * Returns: the string representation of @state.
+ */
+const gchar *
+pinos_stream_state_as_string (PinosStreamState state)
+{
+  GEnumValue *val;
+
+  val = g_enum_get_value (G_ENUM_CLASS (g_type_class_ref (PINOS_TYPE_STREAM_STATE)),
+                          state);
+
+  return val == NULL ? "invalid-state" : val->value_nick;
+}
+
 /**
  * pinos_stream_new:
  * @context: a #PinosContext
diff --git a/src/client/stream.h b/src/client/stream.h
index b5ee277ad..0a42a29ea 100644
--- a/src/client/stream.h
+++ b/src/client/stream.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ typedef enum {
   PINOS_STREAM_STATE_STREAMING   = 4
 } PinosStreamState;
 
+const gchar * pinos_stream_state_as_string (PinosStreamState state);
 
 typedef enum {
   PINOS_STREAM_FLAGS_NONE = 0,
diff --git a/src/tools/pinos-monitor.c b/src/tools/pinos-monitor.c
index d409b841d..709823743 100644
--- a/src/tools/pinos-monitor.c
+++ b/src/tools/pinos-monitor.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ dump_source_info (PinosContext *c, const PinosSourceInfo *info, gpointer userdat
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 1))
     print_properties (info->properties);
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 2))
-    g_print ("\tstate: %d\n", info->state);
+    g_print ("\tstate: \"%s\"\n", pinos_source_state_as_string (info->state));
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 3))
     print_formats ("possible formats", info->possible_formats);
 
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ dump_source_output_info (PinosContext *c, const PinosSourceOutputInfo *info, gpo
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 2))
     print_formats ("possible-formats", info->possible_formats);
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 3))
-    g_print ("\tstate: \"%d\"\n", info->state);
+    g_print ("\tstate: \"%s\"\n", pinos_source_output_state_as_string (info->state));
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 4))
     print_formats ("format", info->format);
   if (info->change_mask & (1 << 5))
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ on_state_notify (GObject    *gobject,
       break;
 
     default:
-      g_print ("context state %d\n", state);
+      g_print ("context state: \"%s\"\n", pinos_context_state_as_string (state));
       break;
   }
 }