diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d14b029..af4fa87 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ FLAGS += -DDUAL_STACK_SOCKETS=$(DUAL_STACK_SOCKETS)
 
 PASST_SRCS = arch.c arp.c checksum.c conf.c dhcp.c dhcpv6.c flow.c icmp.c \
 	igmp.c isolation.c lineread.c log.c mld.c ndp.c netlink.c packet.c \
-	passt.c pasta.c pcap.c port_fwd.c tap.c tcp.c tcp_splice.c udp.c util.c
+	passt.c pasta.c pcap.c pif.c port_fwd.c tap.c tcp.c tcp_splice.c udp.c \
+	util.c
 QRAP_SRCS = qrap.c
 SRCS = $(PASST_SRCS) $(QRAP_SRCS)
 
diff --git a/pif.c b/pif.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ebf01cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pif.c
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+ * Copyright Red Hat
+ * Author: David Gibson <david@gibson.dropbear.id.au>
+ *
+ * Passt/pasta interface types and IDs
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+
+#include "util.h"
+#include "pif.h"
+
+const char *pif_type_str[] = {
+	[PIF_NONE]		= "<none>",
+	[PIF_HOST]		= "HOST",
+	[PIF_TAP]		= "TAP",
+	[PIF_SPLICE]		= "SPLICE",
+};
+static_assert(ARRAY_SIZE(pif_type_str) == PIF_NUM_TYPES,
+	      "pif_type_str[] doesn't match enum pif_type");
diff --git a/pif.h b/pif.h
index a705f2c..ca85b34 100644
--- a/pif.h
+++ b/pif.h
@@ -22,6 +22,25 @@ enum pif_type {
 	PIF_TAP,
 	/* Namespace socket interface for splicing */
 	PIF_SPLICE,
+
+	PIF_NUM_TYPES,
 };
 
+#define PIF_NAMELEN	8
+
+extern const char *pif_type_str[];
+
+static inline const char *pif_type(enum pif_type pt)
+{
+	if (pt < PIF_NUM_TYPES)
+		return pif_type_str[pt];
+	else
+		return "?";
+}
+
+static inline const char *pif_name(uint8_t pif)
+{
+	return pif_type(pif);
+}
+
 #endif /* PIF_H */