diff --git a/lib/class.js b/lib/class.js
index a5ee68e..78dbf74 100644
--- a/lib/class.js
+++ b/lib/class.js
@@ -338,13 +338,21 @@ var extend = ( function( extending )
         // abstract class
         else
         {
-            return function()
+            var __abstract_self = function()
             {
                 if ( !extending )
                 {
                     throw new Error( "Abstract classes cannot be instantiated" );
                 }
             };
+
+            // provide a more intuitive string representation
+            __abstract_self.toString = function()
+            {
+                return '<Abstract Class>';
+            };
+
+            return __abstract_self;
         }
     }
 } )( false );
diff --git a/test/test-class-abstract.js b/test/test-class-abstract.js
index 9f9e28f..cbf3a1d 100644
--- a/test/test-class-abstract.js
+++ b/test/test-class-abstract.js
@@ -207,3 +207,15 @@ assert.throws( function()
     } );
 }, TypeError, "Abstract methods must be declared as arrays" );
 
+
+// otherwise it'll output the internal constructor code, which is especially
+// confusing since the user does not write it
+( function testConvertingAbstractClassToStringYieldsClassString()
+{
+    assert.equal(
+        Class.extend( { 'abstract foo': [] } ).toString(),
+        '<Abstract Class>',
+        "Converting abstract class to string yields class string"
+    );
+} )();
+