diff --git a/lib/bytes.cc b/lib/bytes.cc
index 532dd1c9..23610295 100644
--- a/lib/bytes.cc
+++ b/lib/bytes.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ Bytes::Bytes(const uint8_t* ptr, size_t len):
     _high(len)
 {}
 
+Bytes::Bytes(const std::string& s):
+	_data(createVector((const uint8_t*)&s[0], s.size())),
+	_low(0),
+	_high(s.size())
+{}
+
 Bytes::Bytes(std::initializer_list<uint8_t> data):
     _data(createVector(data)),
     _low(0),
diff --git a/lib/bytes.h b/lib/bytes.h
index 0a5d82c9..d7651770 100644
--- a/lib/bytes.h
+++ b/lib/bytes.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ public:
     uint8_t* begin()              { checkWritable(); return &(*_data)[_low]; }
     uint8_t* end()                { checkWritable(); return &(*_data)[_high]; }
 
+	operator const std::string () const { return std::string(cbegin(), cend()); }
+
     void boundsCheck(unsigned pos) const;
     void checkWritable();
     void adjustBounds(unsigned pos);
diff --git a/tests/bytes.cc b/tests/bytes.cc
index 05233b3f..5e8be65e 100644
--- a/tests/bytes.cc
+++ b/tests/bytes.cc
@@ -124,6 +124,13 @@ static void test_tobits()
 	}));
 }
 
+static void test_tostring()
+{
+	std::string s = "Hello, world";
+	Bytes b(s);
+	assert(b == s);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
 {
     test_bounds();
@@ -133,5 +140,6 @@ int main(int argc, const char* argv[])
     test_writes();
     test_slice();
 	test_tobits();
+	test_tostring();
     return 0;
 }