diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_manager.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_manager.h
index 502a61f877..05f15af19c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_manager.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/plugin_manager.h
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@ public:
 	const std::string get_default_lxvst_path() const { return lxvst_path; }
 
 	/* always return LXVST for any VST subtype */
-	static PluginType to_generic_vst (PluginType);
+	static PluginType to_generic_vst (const PluginType);
+
+	/* format plugin type to human readable name
+	 * @param short use at most 4 chars (useful for ctrl-surface displays)
+	 */
+	static std::string plugin_type_name (const PluginType, bool short_name = true);
 
 	bool cancelled () { return _cancel_scan; }
 	bool no_timeout () { return _cancel_timeout; }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc b/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
index 0f2826af46..22c1053865 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
 #include "ardour/playlist.h"
 #include "ardour/plugin.h"
 #include "ardour/plugin_insert.h"
+#include "ardour/plugin_manager.h"
 #include "ardour/polarity_processor.h"
 #include "ardour/port_manager.h"
 #include "ardour/progress.h"
@@ -1887,6 +1888,7 @@ LuaBindings::common (lua_State* L)
 
 		/* libardour enums */
 		.beginNamespace ("PluginType")
+		.addFunction ("name", &PluginManager::plugin_type_name)
 		.addConst ("AudioUnit", ARDOUR::PluginType(AudioUnit))
 		.addConst ("LADSPA", ARDOUR::PluginType(LADSPA))
 		.addConst ("LV2", ARDOUR::PluginType(LV2))
diff --git a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
index 17782bf253..9885dab514 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/plugin_manager.cc
@@ -1728,6 +1728,34 @@ PluginManager::to_generic_vst (const PluginType t)
 	return t;
 }
 
+std::string
+PluginManager::plugin_type_name (const PluginType t, bool short_name)
+{
+#if defined WINDOWS_VST_SUPPORT && defined LXVST_SUPPORT
+	switch (t) {
+		case Windows_VST:
+			return short_name ? "VST" : "Windows-VST";
+		case LXVST:
+			return short_name ? "LXVST" : "Linux-VST";
+		default:
+			break;
+	}
+#endif
+
+	switch (t) {
+		case Windows_VST:
+		case LXVST:
+		case MacVST:
+			return short_name ? "VST" : "VST2";
+		case AudioUnit:
+			return short_name ? "AU" : enum_2_string (t);
+		case LADSPA:
+			return short_name ? "LV1" : enum_2_string (t);
+		default:
+			return enum_2_string (t);
+	}
+}
+
 struct SortByTag {
 	bool operator() (std::string a, std::string b) {
 		return a.compare (b) < 0;