diff --git a/src/backend/threads.c b/src/backend/threads.c
index 4fe0c8ac5..b943d55fc 100644
--- a/src/backend/threads.c
+++ b/src/backend/threads.c
@@ -54,6 +54,12 @@ const char* lumiera_threadclass_names[] = {
 
 #undef LUMIERA_THREAD_CLASS
 
+#define LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE(name) #name,
+const char* lumiera_threadstate_names[] = {
+  LUMIERA_THREAD_STATES
+};
+#undef LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE
+
 struct lumiera_thread_mockup
 {
   void (*fn)(void*);
diff --git a/src/backend/threads.h b/src/backend/threads.h
index ce9a7605b..416e160a0 100644
--- a/src/backend/threads.h
+++ b/src/backend/threads.h
@@ -90,18 +90,28 @@ enum lumiera_thread_class
 // defined in threads.c
 extern const char* lumiera_threadclass_names[];
 
+#define LUMIERA_THREAD_STATES                      \
+  LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE(IDLE)                       \
+  LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE(RUNNING)                    \
+  LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE(ERROR)
+
+#define LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE(name) LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_##name,
+
 /**
  * Thread state.
  * These are the only states our threads can be in.
  */
 typedef enum 
   {
-    LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_IDLE,
-    LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_RUNNING,
-    LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_ERROR
+    LUMIERA_THREAD_STATES
   }
   lumiera_thread_state;
 
+#undef LUMIERA_THREAD_STATE
+
+// defined in threads.c
+extern const char* lumiera_threadstate_names[];
+
 #include "threadpool.h"
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/30backend-threadpool.tests b/tests/30backend-threadpool.tests
index e4f4e4005..c136aff42 100644
--- a/tests/30backend-threadpool.tests
+++ b/tests/30backend-threadpool.tests
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ err: start by initializing the threadpool
 err: acquiring thread 1
 err: acquiring thread 2
 err: thread 1 kind=INTERACTIVE
+err: thread 1 state=IDLE
 err: thread 2 kind=IDLE
+err: thread 2 state=IDLE
 err: releasing thread 1
 err: thread 1 has been released
 err: releasing thread 2
diff --git a/tests/backend/test-threadpool.c b/tests/backend/test-threadpool.c
index 0a4319bfb..0c516e306 100644
--- a/tests/backend/test-threadpool.c
+++ b/tests/backend/test-threadpool.c
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ TEST ("basic-acquire-release")
 
   ECHO("thread 1 kind=%s", lumiera_threadclass_names[t1->kind]);
   CHECK(LUMIERA_THREADCLASS_INTERACTIVE == t1->kind);
-  //ECHO("thread 1 state=%d", t1->state);
+  ECHO("thread 1 state=%s", lumiera_threadstate_names[t1->state]);
   CHECK(LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_IDLE == t1->state);
   ECHO("thread 2 kind=%s", lumiera_threadclass_names[t2->kind]);
   CHECK(LUMIERA_THREADCLASS_IDLE == t2->kind);
-  //ECHO("thread 2 state=%d", t2->state);
+  ECHO("thread 2 state=%s", lumiera_threadstate_names[t2->state]);
   CHECK(LUMIERA_THREADSTATE_IDLE == t2->state);
 
   ECHO("releasing thread 1");