diff --git a/include/asterisk/channel.h b/include/asterisk/channel.h
index b5888085322e00def9c501979ff505636f8aea99..1a334411a9f541b473f3ab6b84422a7041bcea62 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/channel.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/channel.h
@@ -1458,6 +1458,16 @@ int ast_channel_whisper_feed(struct ast_channel *chan, struct ast_frame *f);
  */
 void ast_channel_whisper_stop(struct ast_channel *chan);
 
+
+
+/*!
+  \brief return an english explanation of the code returned thru __ast_request_and_dial's 'outstate' argument
+  \param reason  The integer argument, usually taken from AST_CONTROL_ macros
+  \return char pointer explaining the code
+ */
+char *ast_channel_reason2str(int reason);
+
+
 #if defined(__cplusplus) || defined(c_plusplus)
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/main/channel.c b/main/channel.c
index 26f9da5f78987f131f666bb8ecf7f2525fe8726b..cd2202fd42c66aeb6e42f02e8553276eb71f88e7 100644
--- a/main/channel.c
+++ b/main/channel.c
@@ -2919,6 +2919,29 @@ int ast_set_write_format(struct ast_channel *chan, int fmt)
 			  &chan->writetrans, 1);
 }
 
+char *ast_channel_reason2str(int reason)
+{
+	switch (reason) /* the following appear to be the only ones actually returned by request_and_dial */
+	{
+	case 0:
+		return "Call Failure (not BUSY, and not NO_ANSWER, maybe Circuit busy or down?)";
+	case AST_CONTROL_HANGUP:
+		return "Hangup";
+	case AST_CONTROL_RING:
+		return "Local Ring";
+	case AST_CONTROL_RINGING:
+		return "Remote end Ringing";
+	case AST_CONTROL_ANSWER:
+		return "Remote end has Answered";
+	case AST_CONTROL_BUSY:
+		return "Remote end is Busy";
+	case AST_CONTROL_CONGESTION:
+		return "Congestion (circuits busy)";
+	default:
+		return "Unknown Reason!!";
+	}
+}
+
 struct ast_channel *__ast_request_and_dial(const char *type, int format, void *data, int timeout, int *outstate, const char *cid_num, const char *cid_name, struct outgoing_helper *oh)
 {
 	int dummy_outstate;
diff --git a/pbx/pbx_spool.c b/pbx/pbx_spool.c
index 6a037fdb86ba2fe919300c7a08df4ecdd21f3338..d90967b7c3022c5dc629c66126d224d6420111f6 100644
--- a/pbx/pbx_spool.c
+++ b/pbx/pbx_spool.c
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ static void *attempt_thread(void *data)
 		res = ast_pbx_outgoing_exten(o->tech, AST_FORMAT_SLINEAR, o->dest, o->waittime * 1000, o->context, o->exten, o->priority, &reason, 2 /* wait to finish */, o->cid_num, o->cid_name, o->vars, o->account, NULL);
 	}
 	if (res) {
-		ast_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Call failed to go through, reason %d\n", reason);
+		ast_log(LOG_NOTICE, "Call failed to go through, reason (%d) %s\n", reason, ast_channel_reason2str(reason));
 		if (o->retries >= o->maxretries + 1) {
 			/* Max retries exceeded */
 			ast_log(LOG_EVENT, "Queued call to %s/%s expired without completion after %d attempt%s\n", o->tech, o->dest, o->retries - 1, ((o->retries - 1) != 1) ? "s" : "");