diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/io/SimpleStreamableObject.as b/src/as/com/threerings/io/SimpleStreamableObject.as
index 3dc4ce18e..dfd00bc3e 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/io/SimpleStreamableObject.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/io/SimpleStreamableObject.as
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 
 package com.threerings.io {
 
+import com.threerings.util.ClassUtil;
 import com.threerings.util.StringBuilder;
+import com.threerings.util.StringUtil;
 
 /**
  * A simple serializable object implements the {@link Streamable}
@@ -48,8 +50,9 @@ public class SimpleStreamableObject implements Streamable
     public function toString () :String
     {
         var buf :StringBuilder = new StringBuilder("[");
+        buf.append(ClassUtil.tinyClassName(this)).append("(");
         toStringBuilder(buf);
-        return buf.append("]").toString();
+        return buf.append(")]").toString();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -58,7 +61,7 @@ public class SimpleStreamableObject implements Streamable
      */
     protected function toStringBuilder (buf :StringBuilder): void
     {
-        // TODO: StringUtil.fieldsToString(buf, this);
+        StringUtil.fieldsToString(buf, this);
     }
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
index ee2d4e9b3..a266db53d 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/StringUtil.as
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ package com.threerings.util {
 
 import flash.utils.ByteArray;
 
+import flash.utils.describeType; // function import
+
 import mx.utils.*;
 
 public class StringUtil
@@ -202,6 +204,34 @@ public class StringUtil
         return String(obj);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Return a string containing all the public fields of the object
+     */
+    public static function fieldsToString (buf :StringBuilder, obj :Object) :void
+    {
+        var desc :XML = describeType(obj);
+        var appended :Boolean = false;
+        for each (var varName :String in desc..variable.@name) {
+            if (appended) {
+                buf.append(", ");
+            }
+            buf.append(varName, "=", obj[varName]);
+            appended = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Return a pretty basic toString of the supplied Object.
+     */
+    public static function simpleToString (obj :Object) :String
+    {
+        var buf :StringBuilder = new StringBuilder("[");
+        buf.append(ClassUtil.tinyClassName(obj));
+        buf.append("(");
+        fieldsToString(buf, obj);
+        return buf.append(")]").toString();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Truncate the specified String if it is longer than maxLength.
      * The string will be truncated at a position such that it is