diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
index a4522d749..74ac52c77 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm48.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ int gsm48_generate_mid_from_imsi(uint8_t *buf, const char *imsi);
 /* Convert Mobile Identity (10.5.1.4) to string */
 int gsm48_mi_to_string(char *string, const int str_len,
 			const uint8_t *mi, const int mi_len);
+const char *gsm48_mi_type_name(uint8_t mi);
 
 /* Parse Routeing Area Identifier */
 void gsm48_parse_ra(struct gprs_ra_id *raid, const uint8_t *buf);
diff --git a/src/gsm/gsm48.c b/src/gsm/gsm48.c
index 80f75024e..48b22c759 100644
--- a/src/gsm/gsm48.c
+++ b/src/gsm/gsm48.c
@@ -254,6 +254,20 @@ const char *rr_cause_name(uint8_t cause)
 	return get_value_string(rr_cause_names, cause);
 }
 
+static const struct value_string mi_type_names[] = {
+	{ GSM_MI_TYPE_NONE,	"NONE" },
+	{ GSM_MI_TYPE_IMSI,	"IMSI" },
+	{ GSM_MI_TYPE_IMEI,	"IMEI" },
+	{ GSM_MI_TYPE_IMEISV,	"IMEI-SV" },
+	{ GSM_MI_TYPE_TMSI,	"TMSI" },
+	{ 0,			NULL }
+};
+
+const char *gsm48_mi_type_name(uint8_t mi)
+{
+	return get_value_string(mi_type_names, mi);
+}
+
 static void to_bcd(uint8_t *bcd, uint16_t val)
 {
 	bcd[2] = val % 10;
diff --git a/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map b/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
index c29142844..0c0d9f778 100644
--- a/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
+++ b/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ gsm48_mm_att_tlvdef;
 gsm48_number_of_paging_subchannels;
 gsm48_parse_ra;
 gsm48_rr_att_tlvdef;
+gsm48_mi_type_name;
 
 gsm_7bit_decode;
 gsm_7bit_decode_ussd;