diff --git a/common/flatpak-transaction.c b/common/flatpak-transaction.c
index 4229a4879..76f1a644d 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-transaction.c
+++ b/common/flatpak-transaction.c
@@ -480,6 +480,20 @@ flatpak_transaction_operation_get_remote (FlatpakTransactionOperation *self)
   return self->remote;
 }
 
+const char *
+flatpak_transaction_operation_type_to_string (FlatpakTransactionOperationType kind)
+{
+  if (kind == FLATPAK_TRANSACTION_OPERATION_INSTALL)
+    return "install";
+  if (kind == FLATPAK_TRANSACTION_OPERATION_UPDATE)
+    return "update";
+  if (kind == FLATPAK_TRANSACTION_OPERATION_INSTALL_BUNDLE)
+    return "install-bundle";
+  if (kind == FLATPAK_TRANSACTION_OPERATION_UNINSTALL)
+    return "uninstall";
+  return NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * flatpak_transaction_operation_get_bundle_path:
  * @self: a #FlatpakTransactionOperation
diff --git a/common/flatpak-transaction.h b/common/flatpak-transaction.h
index 040961b31..60bfff724 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-transaction.h
+++ b/common/flatpak-transaction.h
@@ -150,6 +150,8 @@ GKeyFile *                      flatpak_transaction_operation_get_metadata (Flat
 FLATPAK_EXTERN
 GKeyFile *                      flatpak_transaction_operation_get_old_metadata (FlatpakTransactionOperation *self);
 
+const char *                    flatpak_transaction_operation_type_to_string (FlatpakTransactionOperationType kind);
+
 FLATPAK_EXTERN
 void                flatpak_transaction_set_no_pull (FlatpakTransaction *self,
                                                      gboolean            no_pull);