diff --git a/include/asterisk/stream.h b/include/asterisk/stream.h
index ca637be3fd..205feeb9c4 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/stream.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/stream.h
@@ -473,6 +473,19 @@ const struct ast_format_cap *ast_stream_get_formats(const struct ast_stream *str
  */
 const char *ast_stream_to_str(const struct ast_stream *stream, struct ast_str **buf);
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Get a stack allocated string representing the stream for debugging/display purposes
+ *
+ * \param stream A stream
+ *
+ * \returns a stack allocated pointer to a string representing the stream.
+ *
+ * \warning No attempt should ever be made to free the returned
+ * char* as it is allocated from the stack.
+ *
+ */
+#define ast_stream_to_stra(__stream) ast_str_tmp(128, ast_stream_to_str(__stream, &STR_TMP))
+
 /*!
  * \brief Get the count of the current negotiated formats of a stream
  *
@@ -954,4 +967,17 @@ struct ast_stream_topology *ast_stream_topology_create_resolved(
 	struct ast_stream_codec_negotiation_prefs *prefs,
 	struct ast_str **error_message);
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Get a stack allocated string representing the topology for debugging/display purposes
+ *
+ * \param topology A topology
+ *
+ * \returns a stack allocated pointer to a string representing the topology.
+ *
+ * \warning No attempt should ever be made to free the returned
+ * char* as it is allocated from the stack.
+ *
+ */
+#define ast_stream_topology_to_stra(__topology) ast_str_tmp(256, ast_stream_topology_to_str(__topology, &STR_TMP))
+
 #endif /* _AST_STREAM_H */
diff --git a/main/stream.c b/main/stream.c
index 01b07cad19..c97ae484c8 100644
--- a/main/stream.c
+++ b/main/stream.c
@@ -343,7 +343,8 @@ const char *ast_stream_to_str(const struct ast_stream *stream, struct ast_str **
 		return ast_str_buffer(*buf);
 	}
 
-	ast_str_append(buf, 0, "%s:%s:%s ",
+	ast_str_append(buf, 0, "%d:%s:%s:%s ",
+		stream->position,
 		S_OR(stream->name, "noname"),
 		ast_codec_media_type2str(stream->type),
 		ast_stream_state_map[stream->state]);