diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
index dc86bc2ed..bc2912085 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 
+using std::string;
 using std::vector;
 using lib::IterSource;
 using lib::iter_source::wrapIter;
@@ -225,6 +226,19 @@ namespace session {
   }
   
   
+  /** Scope diagnostic self display.
+   *  Implemented based on the self-display of the MObject
+   *  attached through the scope top placement. Usually this
+   *  should yield a reasonably unique, descriptive string. */
+  Scope::operator string()  const
+  {
+    string res("[");
+    res += anchor_->shortID();
+    res += "]";
+    return res;
+  }
+  
+  
   
   
   
diff --git a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.hpp b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.hpp
index a6e266e6f..c9806ddce 100644
--- a/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.hpp
+++ b/src/proc/mobject/session/scope.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@
 #include "proc/mobject/placement-ref.hpp"
 #include "lib/error.hpp"
 
+#include <string>
+
 
 namespace mobject {
 namespace session {
@@ -72,16 +74,17 @@ namespace session {
       
       Scope (Scope const&);
       Scope& operator= (Scope const&);
-            
+      
       static const Scope INVALID;
-
+      
       static Scope containing (PlacementMO const& aPlacement);
       static Scope containing (RefPlacement const& refPlacement);
       
+      operator std::string() const;
       Scope getParent()      const;
       PlacementMO& getTop()  const;
-      bool isValid() const;
-      bool isRoot()  const;
+      bool isValid()         const;
+      bool isRoot()          const;
       
       friend bool operator== (Scope const&, Scope const&);
       friend bool operator!= (Scope const&, Scope const&);
diff --git a/tests/43session.tests b/tests/43session.tests
index 5dda9c56d..32c12d434 100644
--- a/tests/43session.tests
+++ b/tests/43session.tests
@@ -169,9 +169,21 @@ END
 
 
 TEST "Placement search scope" PlacementScope_test <<END
+out: Scope: \[Label\.[0-9]{3}\]
 out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.>
+out: Scope: \[DummyMO\.[0-9]{3}\]
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.>
+out: Scope: \[DummyMO\.[0-9]{3}\]
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.>
+out: Scope: \[DummyMO\.[0-9]{3}\]
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.>
+out: Scope: \[DummyMO\.[0-9]{3}\]
+out: Placement<.+TestSubMO21.>
+out: Scope: \[Label\.[0-9]{3}\]
 out: Placement<.+TestSubMO2.>
+out: Scope: \[DummyMO\.[0-9]{3}\]
 out: Placement<.+TestSubMO1.>
+out: Scope: \[Label\.[0-9]{3}\]
 out: Placement<.+DummyMO.>
 return: 0
 END
diff --git a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-scope-test.cpp b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-scope-test.cpp
index 374246c71..f3efca615 100644
--- a/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-scope-test.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/proc/mobject/session/placement-scope-test.cpp
@@ -100,8 +100,9 @@ namespace test    {
             {
               PlacementMO& elm = *ii;
               ASSERT (elm.isValid());
-              std::cout << string(elm) << std::endl;
               Scope const& scope1 = Scope::containing(elm);
+              std::cout << "Scope: " << string(scope1) << std::endl;
+              std::cout << string(elm) << std::endl;
               
               RefPlacement ref (elm);
               Scope const& scope2 = Scope::containing(ref);