diff --git a/kernel/log.h b/kernel/log.h
index 5fbd2fc6..3e280a6f 100644
--- a/kernel/log.h
+++ b/kernel/log.h
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ void log_flush();
 
 const char *log_signal(const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig, bool autoint = true);
 
+static inline const char *log_id(std::string id) {
+	return RTLIL::id2cstr(id);
+}
+
+template<typename T> static inline const char *log_id(T *obj) {
+	return RTLIL::id2cstr(obj->name);
+}
+
 #define log_abort() log_error("Abort in %s:%d.\n", __FILE__, __LINE__)
 #define log_assert(_assert_expr_) do { if (_assert_expr_) break; log_error("Assert `%s' failed in %s:%d.\n", #_assert_expr_, __FILE__, __LINE__); } while (0)