diff --git a/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c b/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
index 29b7712..e1bbcf7 100644
--- a/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
+++ b/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
@@ -3886,10 +3886,25 @@ outNode(StringInfo str, const void *obj)
 char *
 nodeToString(const void *obj)
 {
 	StringInfoData str;
 
 	/* see stringinfo.h for an explanation of this maneuver */
 	initStringInfo(&str);
 	outNode(&str, obj);
 	return str.data;
 }
+
+/*
+ * bmsToNode -
+ * 		returns the ascii representation of the Bitmapset as a palloc'd string
+ */
+char *
+bmsToString(const Bitmapset *bms)
+{
+	StringInfoData str;
+
+	/* see stringinfo.h for an explanation of this maneuver */
+	initStringInfo(&str);
+	outBitmapset(&str, bms);
+	return str.data;
+}
diff --git a/src/include/nodes/nodes.h b/src/include/nodes/nodes.h
index 2f7efa8..b239b99 100644
--- a/src/include/nodes/nodes.h
+++ b/src/include/nodes/nodes.h
@@ -554,20 +554,21 @@ extern PGDLLIMPORT Node *newNodeMacroHolder;
 extern char *nodeToString(const void *obj);
 
 struct Bitmapset;				/* not to include bitmapset.h here */
 struct StringInfoData;			/* not to include stringinfo.h here */
 extern void outNode(struct StringInfoData *str, const void *obj);
 extern void outToken(struct StringInfoData *str, const char *s);
 extern void outBitmapset(struct StringInfoData *str,
 			 const struct Bitmapset *bms);
 extern void outDatum(struct StringInfoData *str, uintptr_t value,
 		 int typlen, bool typbyval);
+extern char *bmsToString(const struct Bitmapset *bms);
 
 /*
  * nodes/{readfuncs.c,read.c}
  */
 extern void *stringToNode(char *str);
 extern struct Bitmapset *readBitmapset(void);
 extern uintptr_t readDatum(bool typbyval);
 extern bool *readBoolCols(int numCols);
 extern int *readIntCols(int numCols);
 extern Oid *readOidCols(int numCols);