diff --git a/libdfu/dfu-sector.c b/libdfu/dfu-sector.c
index 995a10385..c7dfbcf2f 100644
--- a/libdfu/dfu-sector.c
+++ b/libdfu/dfu-sector.c
@@ -190,6 +190,19 @@ dfu_sector_has_cap (DfuSector *sector, DfuSectorCap cap)
 	return (priv->cap & cap) > 0;
 }
 
+static gchar *
+dfu_sector_cap_to_string (DfuSectorCap cap)
+{
+	GString *str = g_string_new (NULL);
+	if (cap & DFU_SECTOR_CAP_READABLE)
+		g_string_append (str, "R");
+	if (cap & DFU_SECTOR_CAP_ERASEABLE)
+		g_string_append (str, "E");
+	if (cap & DFU_SECTOR_CAP_WRITEABLE)
+		g_string_append (str, "W");
+	return g_string_free (str, FALSE);
+}
+
 /**
  * dfu_sector_to_string:
  * @sector: a #DfuSector
@@ -205,14 +218,16 @@ dfu_sector_to_string (DfuSector *sector)
 {
 	DfuSectorPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (sector);
 	GString *str;
+	g_autofree gchar *caps_str = NULL;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail (DFU_IS_SECTOR (sector), NULL);
 
 	str = g_string_new ("");
+	caps_str = dfu_sector_cap_to_string (priv->cap);
 	g_string_append_printf (str,
 				"Zone:%i, Sec#:%i, Addr:0x%08x, "
-				"Size:0x%04x, Caps:0x%01x",
+				"Size:0x%04x, Caps:0x%01x [%s]",
 				priv->zone, priv->number, priv->address,
-				priv->size, priv->cap);
+				priv->size, priv->cap, caps_str);
 	return g_string_free (str, FALSE);
 }
diff --git a/libdfu/dfu-self-test.c b/libdfu/dfu-self-test.c
index 9e883ba4c..7d739e11d 100644
--- a/libdfu/dfu-self-test.c
+++ b/libdfu/dfu-self-test.c
@@ -700,8 +700,12 @@ dfu_target_dfuse_func (void)
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
 	tmp = dfu_target_sectors_to_string (target);
-	g_assert_cmpstr (tmp, ==, "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1\n"
-				  "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1");
+	ret = dfu_test_compare_lines (tmp,
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1 [R]",
+				      &error);
+	g_assert_no_error (error);
+	g_assert (ret);
 	g_free (tmp);
 
 	/* multiple sectors */
@@ -710,12 +714,12 @@ dfu_target_dfuse_func (void)
 	g_assert (ret);
 	tmp = dfu_target_sectors_to_string (target);
 	ret = dfu_test_compare_lines (tmp,
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08000800, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08000c00, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08001000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08001400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7",
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x08000400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08000800, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08000c00, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08001000, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:1, Addr:0x08001400, Size:0x0400, Caps:0x7 [REW]",
 				      &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);
@@ -727,15 +731,15 @@ dfu_target_dfuse_func (void)
 	g_assert (ret);
 	tmp = dfu_target_sectors_to_string (target);
 	ret = dfu_test_compare_lines (tmp,
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f000, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f064, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f0c8, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f12c, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1\n"
-				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000e000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00010000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00012000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:2, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00080000, Size:0x6000, Caps:0x7\n"
-				      "Zone:2, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00086000, Size:0x6000, Caps:0x7",
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f000, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f064, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f0c8, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:0, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000f12c, Size:0x0064, Caps:0x1 [R]\n"
+				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x0000e000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00010000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:1, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00012000, Size:0x2000, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:2, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00080000, Size:0x6000, Caps:0x7 [REW]\n"
+				      "Zone:2, Sec#:0, Addr:0x00086000, Size:0x6000, Caps:0x7 [REW]",
 				      &error);
 	g_assert_no_error (error);
 	g_assert (ret);