diff --git a/dumux/multidomain/embedded/couplingmanager1d3d.hh b/dumux/multidomain/embedded/couplingmanager1d3d.hh
index c7f4fcedefb73c94d33c9d2b40cb513fd6caef85..86f0883d193ef6d6a29764dc95632e9b24f35f18 100644
--- a/dumux/multidomain/embedded/couplingmanager1d3d.hh
+++ b/dumux/multidomain/embedded/couplingmanager1d3d.hh
@@ -52,6 +52,22 @@ namespace Dumux {
 enum class EmbeddedCouplingMode
 { line, average, cylindersources, kernel };
 
+/*!
+ * \ingroup EmbeddedCoupling
+ * \brief Convert the coupling mode to a human readable name
+ */
+std::string toString(EmbeddedCouplingMode mode)
+{
+    switch (mode)
+    {
+        case EmbeddedCouplingMode::line: return "line";
+        case EmbeddedCouplingMode::average: return "average";
+        case EmbeddedCouplingMode::cylindersources: return "cylinder";
+        case EmbeddedCouplingMode::kernel: return "kernel";
+        default: return "unknown";
+    }
+}
+
 //! point source traits for the circle average coupling mode
 template<class MDTraits>
 struct CircleAveragePointSourceTraits