diff --git a/tools/perf/util/strfilter.c b/tools/perf/util/strfilter.c
index f3429cd..bcae659 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/strfilter.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/strfilter.c
@@ -237,3 +237,70 @@
 		return false;
 	return strfilter_node__compare(filter->root, str);
 }
+
+static int strfilter_node__sprint(struct strfilter_node *node, char *buf);
+
+/* sprint node in parenthesis if needed */
+static int strfilter_node__sprint_pt(struct strfilter_node *node, char *buf)
+{
+	int len;
+	int pt = node->r ? 2 : 0;	/* don't need to check node->l */
+
+	if (buf && pt)
+		*buf++ = '(';
+	len = strfilter_node__sprint(node, buf);
+	if (len < 0)
+		return len;
+	if (buf && pt)
+		*(buf + len) = ')';
+	return len + pt;
+}
+
+static int strfilter_node__sprint(struct strfilter_node *node, char *buf)
+{
+	int len = 0, rlen;
+
+	if (!node || !node->p)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	switch (*node->p) {
+	case '|':
+	case '&':
+		len = strfilter_node__sprint_pt(node->l, buf);
+		if (len < 0)
+			return len;
+	case '!':
+		if (buf) {
+			*(buf + len++) = *node->p;
+			buf += len;
+		} else
+			len++;
+		rlen = strfilter_node__sprint_pt(node->r, buf);
+		if (rlen < 0)
+			return rlen;
+		len += rlen;
+		break;
+	default:
+		len = strlen(node->p);
+		if (buf)
+			strcpy(buf, node->p);
+	}
+
+	return len;
+}
+
+char *strfilter__string(struct strfilter *filter)
+{
+	int len;
+	char *ret = NULL;
+
+	len = strfilter_node__sprint(filter->root, NULL);
+	if (len < 0)
+		return NULL;
+
+	ret = malloc(len + 1);
+	if (ret)
+		strfilter_node__sprint(filter->root, ret);
+
+	return ret;
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/strfilter.h b/tools/perf/util/strfilter.h
index d007cdc..cff5eda 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/strfilter.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/strfilter.h
@@ -71,4 +71,13 @@
  */
 void strfilter__delete(struct strfilter *filter);
 
+/**
+ * strfilter__string - Reconstruct a rule string from filter
+ * @filter: String filter to reconstruct
+ *
+ * Reconstruct a rule string from @filter. This will be good for
+ * debug messages. Note that returning string must be freed afterward.
+ */
+char *strfilter__string(struct strfilter *filter);
+
 #endif