diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/evtest.cc b/gtk2_ardour/evtest.cc
index b986e030cc..77286e1048 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/evtest.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/evtest.cc
@@ -1,8 +1,69 @@
+#include <string>
 #include <gtkmm.h>
 #include <iostream>
 
 using namespace std;
 
+string
+print_state (int state)
+{
+        string str;
+
+        if (state & GDK_SHIFT_MASK) {
+                str += "shift ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_LOCK_MASK) {
+                str += "lock ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_CONTROL_MASK) {
+                str += "control ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_MOD1_MASK) {
+                str += "mod1 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_MOD2_MASK) {
+                str += "mod2 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_MOD3_MASK) {
+                str += "mod3 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_MOD4_MASK) {
+                str += "mod4 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_MOD5_MASK) {
+                str += "mod5 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_BUTTON1_MASK) {
+                str += "button1 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_BUTTON2_MASK) {
+                str += "button2 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_BUTTON3_MASK) {
+                str += "button3 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_BUTTON4_MASK) {
+                str += "button4 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_BUTTON5_MASK) {
+                str += "button5 ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_SUPER_MASK) {
+                str += "super ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_HYPER_MASK) {
+                str += "hyper ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_META_MASK) {
+                str += "meta ";
+        }
+        if (state & GDK_RELEASE_MASK) {
+                str += "release ";
+        }
+
+        return str;
+}
+
 bool
 print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 {
@@ -16,7 +77,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		cerr << "2-Button press, button = " 
 		     << event->button.button
 		     << " state "
-		     << event->button.state 
+		     << print_state (event->button.state)
 		     << endl;
 		break;
 
@@ -24,7 +85,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		cerr << "Button press, button = " 
 		     << event->button.button
 		     << " state "
-		     << event->button.state 
+		     << print_state (event->button.state)
 		     << endl;
 		break;
 
@@ -32,7 +93,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		cerr << "Button release, button = " 
 		     << event->button.button
 		     << " state "
-		     << event->button.state 
+		     << print_state (event->button.state)
 		     << endl;
 		break;
 
@@ -40,7 +101,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		cerr << "Scroll: direction = "
 		     << event->scroll.direction
 		     << " state = "
-		     << event->scroll.state
+		     << print_state (event->scroll.state)
 		     << endl;
 		break;
 
@@ -50,7 +111,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		     << " name " 
 		     << ((kstr = gdk_keyval_name (event->key.keyval)) ? kstr : "UNKNOWN KEY")
 		     << " state = "
-		     << event->key.state
+		     << print_state (event->key.state)
 		     << " hw keycode = "
 		     << event->key.hardware_keycode
 		     << " string = "
@@ -64,7 +125,7 @@ print_event (GdkEvent* event)
 		     << " name " 
 		     << ((kstr = gdk_keyval_name (event->key.keyval)) ? kstr : "UNKNOWN KEY")
 		     << " state = "
-		     << event->key.state
+		     << print_state (event->key.state)
 		     << " hw keycode = "
 		     << event->key.hardware_keycode
 		     << " string = "