diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.cpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.cpp
index d79eec26a..b6bcf3bd0 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@
 #include "proc/mobject/session/query-focus.hpp"
 #include "proc/mobject/mobject.hpp"
 
+#include <boost/format.hpp>
+
+using boost::format;
+using boost::str;
+
 
 namespace mobject {
 namespace session {
@@ -155,4 +160,14 @@ namespace session {
   
   
   
+  /** diagnostic self-display based on the ScopePath */
+  QueryFocus::operator string()  const 
+  {
+    static format display("Focus(%d)--->%s");
+    return str ( display % ScopeLocator::instance().stackSize() 
+                         % string (*focus_));
+  }
+  
+  
+  
 }} // namespace mobject::session
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.hpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.hpp
index 20f8a67d4..1fed6da2a 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/query-focus.hpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "proc/mobject/session/scope-locator.hpp"
 
 #include <boost/intrusive_ptr.hpp>
+#include <string>
 
 namespace mobject {
 namespace session {
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ namespace session {
       
       ScopePath const& currentPath()  const;
       operator Scope()                const;
+      operator string()               const;
       
       QueryFocus&     attach (Scope const&);
       static QueryFocus push (Scope const&);
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope-locator.hpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope-locator.hpp
index 4d6753967..5512f3917 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope-locator.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope-locator.hpp
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ namespace session {
       lib::IterSource<const Scope>::iterator
       locate (Scope const& target);
       
+      size_t stackSize()  const;
+      
       
      ~ScopeLocator();
       
@@ -143,7 +145,7 @@ namespace session {
   {
     return ScopeQuery<MObject> (scope.getTop(), PATH).resolveBy (theResolver());
   }
-
-
+  
+  
 }} // namespace mobject::session
 #endif
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
index bc2912085..30fab781c 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
@@ -121,6 +121,13 @@ namespace session {
   }
   
   
+  size_t
+  ScopeLocator::stackSize()  const
+  {
+    return focusStack_->size();
+  }
+  
+  
   /** establishes the \em current query focus location.
    *  Relies on the state of the QueryFocusStack.
    *  If there is no current focus location, a new
diff --git a/tests/43session.tests b/tests/43session.tests
index 5f6f8994b..ebe930800 100644
--- a/tests/43session.tests
+++ b/tests/43session.tests
@@ -221,6 +221,16 @@ END
 
 
 TEST "Query focus management" QueryFocus_test <<END
+out: Focus\(2\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]$
+out: Focus\(3\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]/\[DummyMO....\]<<<--discovery exhausted
+out: Focus\(2\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]<<<--after pop
+out: Focus\(2\)--->/\[DummyMO....\]
 return: 0
 END
 
diff --git a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/query-focus-test.cpp b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/query-focus-test.cpp
index 769662d95..946250c37 100644
--- a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/query-focus-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/query-focus-test.cpp
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ namespace test    {
           ASSERT (num_refs > 1);  // because the run() function also holds a ref
           
           QueryFocus subF = QueryFocus::push();
-//        cout << string(subF) << endl;                                          /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+          cout << string(subF) << endl;
           ASSERT (subF == original);
           
           ASSERT (       1 == refs(subF) );
@@ -147,25 +147,25 @@ namespace test    {
             QueryFocus subF2 = QueryFocus::push(Scope(subF).getParent());
             ASSERT (subF2 != subF);
             ASSERT (subF == original);
-//          cout << string(subF2) << endl;                                       /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+            cout << string(subF2) << endl;
             
             ScopeQuery<TestSubMO21>::iterator ii = subF2.explore<TestSubMO21>();
             while (ii) // drill down depth first
               {
                 subF2.attach(*ii);
-//              cout << string(subF2) << endl;                                   /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+                cout << string(subF2) << endl;
                 ii = subF2.explore<TestSubMO21>();
               }
-//          cout << string(subF2) << "<<<--discovery exhausted" << endl;         /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+            cout << string(subF2) << "<<<--discovery exhausted" << endl;
             
             subF2.pop(); // releasing this focus and re-attaching to what's on stack top
-//          cout << string(subF2) << "<<<--after pop()" << endl;                 /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+            cout << string(subF2) << "<<<--after pop()" << endl;
             ASSERT (subF2 == subF);
             ASSERT (2 == refs(subF2));  // both are now attached to the same path
             ASSERT (2 == refs(subF));
           }
           // subF2 went out of scope, but no auto-pop happens (because subF is still there)
-//        cout << string(subF) << endl;                                          /////////////////////////////////////TICKET #429  display diagnostic output
+          cout << string(subF) << endl;
           
           ASSERT (       1 == refs(subF));
           ASSERT (num_refs == refs(original));