diff --git a/api/mraa/common.h b/api/mraa/common.h
index c270d95..6675f2d 100644
--- a/api/mraa/common.h
+++ b/api/mraa/common.h
@@ -190,6 +190,13 @@ int mraa_set_priority(const int priority);
  */
 const char* mraa_get_version();
 
+/**
+ * Returns a textual representation of the mraa_result_t
+ *
+ * @param result the result to stringify
+ */
+const char* mraa_strresult(mraa_result_t result);
+
 /**
  * Print a textual representation of the mraa_result_t
  *
diff --git a/src/mraa.c b/src/mraa.c
index 781898e..927d9ab 100644
--- a/src/mraa.c
+++ b/src/mraa.c
@@ -564,64 +564,52 @@ mraa_setup_mux_mapped(mraa_pin_t meta)
 }
 #endif
 
-void
-mraa_result_print(mraa_result_t result)
+const char*
+mraa_strresult(mraa_result_t result)
 {
     switch (result) {
         case MRAA_SUCCESS:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: SUCCESS\n");
-            break;
+            return "SUCCESS";
         case MRAA_ERROR_FEATURE_NOT_IMPLEMENTED:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Feature not implemented.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Feature not implemented";
         case MRAA_ERROR_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Feature not supported by Hardware.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Feature not supported by Hardware";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_VERBOSITY_LEVEL:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Invalid verbosity level.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Invalid verbosity level";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Invalid parameter.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Invalid parameter";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Invalid Handle.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Invalid Handle";
         case MRAA_ERROR_NO_RESOURCES:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: No resources.\n");
-            break;
+            return "No resources";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_RESOURCE:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Invalid resource.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Invalid resource";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_QUEUE_TYPE:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Invalid Queue Type.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Invalid Queue Type";
         case MRAA_ERROR_NO_DATA_AVAILABLE:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: No Data available.\n");
-            break;
+            return "No Data available";
         case MRAA_ERROR_INVALID_PLATFORM:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Platform not recognised.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Platform not recognised";
         case MRAA_ERROR_PLATFORM_NOT_INITIALISED:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Platform not initialised.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Platform not initialised";
         case MRAA_ERROR_UART_OW_SHORTED:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: UART OW: Bus short detected.\n");
-            break;
+            return "UART OW: Bus short detected";
         case MRAA_ERROR_UART_OW_NO_DEVICES:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: UART OW: No devices detected on bus.\n");
-            break;
+            return "UART OW: No devices detected on bus";
         case MRAA_ERROR_UART_OW_DATA_ERROR:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: UART OW: Data or Bus error detected.\n");
-            break;
+            return "UART OW: Data or Bus error detected";
         case MRAA_ERROR_UNSPECIFIED:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Unspecified Error.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Unspecified Error";
         default:
-            fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: Unrecognised error.\n");
-            break;
+            return "Unrecognised error";
     }
 }
 
+void
+mraa_result_print(mraa_result_t result)
+{
+    fprintf(stdout, "MRAA: %s.\n", mraa_strresult(result));
+}
 
 mraa_boolean_t
 mraa_has_sub_platform()