diff --git a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_16_11.rst b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_16_11.rst
index 0c830f4c72..25c447dfd7 100644
--- a/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_16_11.rst
+++ b/doc/guides/rel_notes/release_16_11.rst
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ New Features
     mbuf chain, linearizing if required.
   * Added a new function ``rte_net_get_ptype()`` to parse an Ethernet packet
     in an mbuf chain and retrieve its packet type by software.
+  * Added new functions ``rte_get_ptype_*()`` to dump a packet type as a string.
 
 * **Added vhost-user indirect descriptors support.**
 
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/Makefile b/lib/librte_mbuf/Makefile
index 27e037cc1f..4ae2e8c8f4 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/Makefile
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/Makefile
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ EXPORT_MAP := rte_mbuf_version.map
 LIBABIVER := 2
 
 # all source are stored in SRCS-y
-SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MBUF) := rte_mbuf.c
+SRCS-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MBUF) := rte_mbuf.c rte_mbuf_ptype.c
 
 # install includes
 SYMLINK-$(CONFIG_RTE_LIBRTE_MBUF)-include := rte_mbuf.h rte_mbuf_ptype.h
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.c b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e5c4fae3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.c
@@ -0,0 +1,227 @@
+/*-
+ *   BSD LICENSE
+ *
+ *   Copyright 2016 6WIND S.A.
+ *   All rights reserved.
+ *
+ *   Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ *   modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ *   are met:
+ *
+ *     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *       notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *       the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *       distribution.
+ *     * Neither the name of 6WIND S.A. nor the names of its
+ *       contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+ *       from this software without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ *   THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ *   "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+ *   A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+ *   OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+ *   SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ *   LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+ *   DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+ *   THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+ *   (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+ *   OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+
+#include <rte_mbuf.h>
+#include <rte_mbuf_ptype.h>
+
+/* get the name of the l2 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l2_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L2_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER: return "L2_ETHER";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_TIMESYNC: return "L2_ETHER_TIMESYNC";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_ARP: return "L2_ETHER_ARP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_LLDP: return "L2_ETHER_LLDP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_NSH: return "L2_ETHER_NSH";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_VLAN: return "L2_ETHER_VLAN";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L2_ETHER_QINQ: return "L2_ETHER_QINQ";
+	default: return "L2_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the l3 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l3_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L3_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV4: return "L3_IPV4";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV4_EXT: return "L3_IPV4_EXT";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV6: return "L3_IPV6";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV4_EXT_UNKNOWN: return "L3_IPV4_EXT_UNKNOWN";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV6_EXT: return "L3_IPV6_EXT";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L3_IPV6_EXT_UNKNOWN: return "L3_IPV6_EXT_UNKNOWN";
+	default: return "L3_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the l4 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l4_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L4_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_TCP: return "L4_TCP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_UDP: return "L4_UDP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_FRAG: return "L4_FRAG";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_SCTP: return "L4_SCTP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_ICMP: return "L4_ICMP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_L4_NONFRAG: return "L4_NONFRAG";
+	default: return "L4_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the tunnel packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_tunnel_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_IP: return "TUNNEL_IP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_GRE: return "TUNNEL_GRE";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_VXLAN: return "TUNNEL_VXLAN";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_NVGRE: return "TUNNEL_NVGRE";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_GENEVE: return "TUNNEL_GENEVE";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_GRENAT: return "TUNNEL_GRENAT";
+	default: return "TUNNEL_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the inner_l2 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l2_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L2_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L2_ETHER: return "INNER_L2_ETHER";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L2_ETHER_VLAN: return "INNER_L2_ETHER_VLAN";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L2_ETHER_QINQ: return "INNER_L2_ETHER_QINQ";
+	default: return "INNER_L2_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the inner_l3 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l3_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV4: return "INNER_L3_IPV4";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV4_EXT: return "INNER_L3_IPV4_EXT";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV6: return "INNER_L3_IPV6";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV4_EXT_UNKNOWN:
+		return "INNER_L3_IPV4_EXT_UNKNOWN";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV6_EXT: return "INNER_L3_IPV6_EXT";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_IPV6_EXT_UNKNOWN:
+		return "INNER_L3_IPV6_EXT_UNKNOWN";
+	default: return "INNER_L3_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* get the name of the inner_l4 packet type */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l4_name(uint32_t ptype)
+{
+	switch (ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_MASK) {
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_TCP: return "INNER_L4_TCP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_UDP: return "INNER_L4_UDP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_FRAG: return "INNER_L4_FRAG";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_SCTP: return "INNER_L4_SCTP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_ICMP: return "INNER_L4_ICMP";
+	case RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_NONFRAG: return "INNER_L4_NONFRAG";
+	default: return "INNER_L4_UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}
+
+/* write the packet type name into the buffer */
+int rte_get_ptype_name(uint32_t ptype, char *buf, size_t buflen)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	if (buflen == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	buf[0] = '\0';
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_ALL_MASK) == RTE_PTYPE_UNKNOWN) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "UNKNOWN");
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L2_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_l2_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L3_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_l3_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_L4_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_l4_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_TUNNEL_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_tunnel_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L2_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_inner_l2_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_inner_l3_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+	if ((ptype & RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_MASK) != 0) {
+		ret = snprintf(buf, buflen, "%s ",
+			rte_get_ptype_inner_l4_name(ptype));
+		if (ret < 0)
+			return -1;
+		if ((size_t)ret >= buflen)
+			return -1;
+		buf += ret;
+		buflen -= ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.h b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.h
index fbe764a6c0..f19c56c553 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.h
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_ptype.h
@@ -544,6 +544,10 @@ extern "C" {
  * Mask of inner layer 4 packet types.
  */
 #define RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_MASK             0x0f000000
+/**
+ * All valid layer masks.
+ */
+#define RTE_PTYPE_ALL_MASK                  0x0fffffff
 
 /**
  * Check if the (outer) L3 header is IPv4. To avoid comparing IPv4 types one by
@@ -566,6 +570,91 @@ extern "C" {
 		RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L3_MASK |				\
 		RTE_PTYPE_INNER_L4_MASK))
 
+/**
+ * Get the name of the l2 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l2_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the l3 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l3_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the l4 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_l4_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the tunnel packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_tunnel_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the inner_l2 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l2_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the inner_l3 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l3_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Get the name of the inner_l4 packet type
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @return
+ *   A non-null string describing the packet type.
+ */
+const char *rte_get_ptype_inner_l4_name(uint32_t ptype);
+
+/**
+ * Write the packet type name into the buffer
+ *
+ * @param ptype
+ *   The packet type value.
+ * @param buf
+ *   The buffer where the string is written.
+ * @param buflen
+ *   The length of the buffer.
+ * @return
+ *   - 0 on success
+ *   - (-1) if the buffer is too small
+ */
+int rte_get_ptype_name(uint32_t ptype, char *buf, size_t buflen);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_version.map b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_version.map
index 79e4dd8726..5455ba6955 100644
--- a/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_version.map
+++ b/lib/librte_mbuf/rte_mbuf_version.map
@@ -23,5 +23,13 @@ DPDK_16.11 {
 	global:
 
 	__rte_pktmbuf_read;
+	rte_get_ptype_inner_l2_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_inner_l3_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_inner_l4_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_l2_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_l3_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_l4_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_name;
+	rte_get_ptype_tunnel_name;
 
 } DPDK_2.1;