diff --git a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
index fe5903dbb..095ac41a4 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gsm/gsm_utils.h
@@ -241,3 +241,16 @@ int gsm_7bit_decode_ussd(char *decoded, const uint8_t *user_data, uint8_t length
 int gsm_7bit_encode(uint8_t *result, const char *data) OSMO_DEPRECATED("Use gsm_7bit_encode_n() instead");
 int gsm_7bit_encode_ussd(uint8_t *result, const char *data, int *octets_written) OSMO_DEPRECATED("Use gsm_7bit_encode_n_ussd() instead");
 int gsm_7bit_encode_oct(uint8_t *result, const char *data, int *octets_written) OSMO_DEPRECATED("Use gsm_7bit_encode_n() instead");
+
+enum osmo_rat_type {
+	OSMO_RAT_UNKNOWN = 0,
+	OSMO_RAT_GERAN_A,
+	OSMO_RAT_UTRAN_IU,
+
+	/* keep this last */
+	OSMO_RAT_COUNT
+};
+
+extern const struct value_string osmo_rat_type_names[];
+inline static const char *osmo_rat_type_name(enum osmo_rat_type val)
+{ return get_value_string(osmo_rat_type_names, val); }
diff --git a/src/gsm/gsm_utils.c b/src/gsm/gsm_utils.c
index 8b4b55866..38620470b 100644
--- a/src/gsm/gsm_utils.c
+++ b/src/gsm/gsm_utils.c
@@ -997,3 +997,11 @@ int gsm_7bit_encode_oct(uint8_t *result, const char *data, int *octets)
 	return gsm_7bit_encode_n(result, GSM_7BIT_LEGACY_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE,
 				 data, octets);
 }
+
+/* This is also used by osmo-hlr's db schema */
+const struct value_string osmo_rat_type_names[] = {
+	{ OSMO_RAT_UNKNOWN, "unknown" },
+	{ OSMO_RAT_GERAN_A, "GERAN-A" },
+	{ OSMO_RAT_UTRAN_IU, "UTRAN-Iu" },
+	{}
+};
diff --git a/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map b/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
index 76b3fd029..bb978786a 100644
--- a/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
+++ b/src/gsm/libosmogsm.map
@@ -553,5 +553,7 @@ sgsap_sgs_cause_names;
 sgsap_ue_emm_mode_names;
 sgsap_ie_tlvdef;
 
+osmo_rat_type_names;
+
 local: *;
 };