diff --git a/include/socks/status.h b/include/socks/status.h
index 4607891..45fb710 100644
--- a/include/socks/status.h
+++ b/include/socks/status.h
@@ -11,4 +11,6 @@ typedef unsigned int kern_status_t;
 #define KERN_NO_MEMORY        (5)
 #define KERN_NO_ENTRY         (6)
 
+extern const char *kern_status_string(kern_status_t status);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/kernel/status.c b/kernel/status.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..489f18e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/status.c
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include <socks/status.h>
+
+const char *kern_status_string(kern_status_t status)
+{
+	switch (status) {
+	case KERN_OK:
+		return "KERN_OK";
+	case KERN_UNIMPLEMENTED:
+		return "KERN_UNIMPLEMENTED";
+	case KERN_NAME_EXISTS:
+		return "KERN_NAME_EXISTS";
+	case KERN_INVALID_ARGUMENT:
+		return "KERN_INVALID_ARGUMENT";
+	case KERN_UNSUPPORTED:
+		return "KERN_UNSUPPORTED";
+	case KERN_NO_MEMORY:
+		return "KERN_NO_MEMORY";
+	case KERN_NO_ENTRY:
+		return "KERN_NO_ENTRY";
+	default:
+		return "UNKNOWN";
+	}
+}