diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index f857110..2ac19e9 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -1263,3 +1263,15 @@ func FormatCloseMessage(closeCode int, text string) []byte {
 	copy(buf[2:], text)
 	return buf
 }
+
+var messageTypes = map[int]string{
+	TextMessage:   "TextMessage",
+	BinaryMessage: "BinaryMessage",
+	CloseMessage:  "CloseMessage",
+	PingMessage:   "PingMessage",
+	PongMessage:   "PongMessage",
+}
+
+func FormatMessageType(mt int) string {
+	return messageTypes[mt]
+}
diff --git a/conn_test.go b/conn_test.go
index a3dde2d..f0c29c3 100644
--- a/conn_test.go
+++ b/conn_test.go
@@ -797,3 +797,20 @@ func TestFailedConnectionReadPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	t.Fatal("should not get here")
 }
+
+func TestFormatMessageType(t *testing.T) {
+	str := FormatMessageType(TextMessage)
+	if str != messageTypes[TextMessage] {
+		t.Error("failed to format message type")
+	}
+
+	str = FormatMessageType(CloseMessage)
+	if str != messageTypes[CloseMessage] {
+		t.Error("failed to format message type")
+	}
+
+	str = FormatMessageType(123)
+	if str != messageTypes[123] {
+		t.Error("failed to format message type")
+	}
+}