diff --git a/dummy/flrig.c b/dummy/flrig.c
index 2b84d460f..cae3bdfcc 100644
--- a/dummy/flrig.c
+++ b/dummy/flrig.c
@@ -841,10 +841,14 @@ static int flrig_open(RIG *rig)
     }
 
     rig->state.mode_list = modes;
-    rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: hamlib modes=%s\n", __func__,
-              rig_strrmode(modes));
+ 
+    retval = rig_strrmodes(modes, value, sizeof(value));
+    if (retval != RIG_OK) { // we might get TRUNC but we can still print the debug
+      rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: %s\n", __func__, rigerror(retval));
+    }
+    rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE, "%s: hamlib modes=%s\n", __func__, value);
 
-    return RIG_OK;
+    return retval;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/hamlib/rig.h b/include/hamlib/rig.h
index 856b6e2ce..dc8d675fa 100644
--- a/include/hamlib/rig.h
+++ b/include/hamlib/rig.h
@@ -2410,6 +2410,7 @@ rig_probe HAMLIB_PARAMS((hamlib_port_t *p));
 
 /* Misc calls */
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(const char *) rig_strrmode(rmode_t mode);
+extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(int)          rig_strrmodes(rmode_t modes, char *buf, int buflen);
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(const char *) rig_strvfo(vfo_t vfo);
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(const char *) rig_strfunc(setting_t);
 extern HAMLIB_EXPORT(const char *) rig_strlevel(setting_t);
diff --git a/src/misc.c b/src/misc.c
index af33c55b0..84aa4fdf5 100644
--- a/src/misc.c
+++ b/src/misc.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ const char *HAMLIB_API rig_strrmode(rmode_t mode)
 {
     int i;
 
-    // only enable it needed for debugging -- too verbose otherwise
+    // only enable if needed for debugging -- too verbose otherwise
     //rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_TRACE, "%s called mode=0x%"PRXll"\n", __func__, mode);
 
     if (mode == RIG_MODE_NONE)
@@ -402,6 +402,43 @@ const char *HAMLIB_API rig_strrmode(rmode_t mode)
     return "";
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Convert RIG_MODE or'd value to alpha string of all modes
+ * \param modes RIG_MODE or'd value
+ * \param buf char* of result buffer
+ * \param buflen length of buffer
+ * \return rig status -- RIG_ETRUNC if buffer not big enough
+ *
+ * \sa rmode_t
+ */
+const int HAMLIB_API rig_strrmodes(rmode_t modes, char *buf, int buflen)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    // only enable if needed for debugging -- too verbose otherwise
+    //rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_TRACE, "%s called mode=0x%"PRXll"\n", __func__, mode);
+
+    if (modes == RIG_MODE_NONE)
+    {
+        snprintf(buf,buflen,"NONE");
+        return RIG_OK;
+    }
+
+    for (i = 0 ; mode_str[i].str[0] != '\0'; i++)
+    {
+        if (modes & mode_str[i].mode)
+        {
+            char modebuf[16];
+            if (strlen(buf)==0) snprintf(modebuf, sizeof(modebuf), "%s", mode_str[i].str);
+            else snprintf(modebuf, sizeof(modebuf)," %s", mode_str[i].str);
+            strncat(buf, modebuf, buflen-strlen(buf)-1);
+            if (strlen(buf) > buflen-10) return -RIG_ETRUNC;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return RIG_OK;
+}
+
 
 static struct
 {