diff --git a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/BaseTest.java b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/BaseTest.java
index 63faf1ab9..35a81770d 100755
--- a/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/BaseTest.java
+++ b/public/java/test/org/broadinstitute/sting/BaseTest.java
@@ -132,15 +132,21 @@ public abstract class BaseTest {
      */
     public static class TestDataProvider {
         private static final Map<Class, List<Object>> tests = new HashMap<Class, List<Object>>();
+        private final String name;
 
         /**
          * Create a new TestDataProvider instance bound to the class variable C
          * @param c
          */
-        public TestDataProvider(Class c) {
+        public TestDataProvider(Class c, String name) {
             if ( ! tests.containsKey(c) )
                 tests.put(c, new ArrayList<Object>());
             tests.get(c).add(this);
+            this.name = name;
+        }
+
+        public TestDataProvider(Class c) {
+            this(c, "");
         }
 
         /**
@@ -153,6 +159,11 @@ public abstract class BaseTest {
             for ( Object x : tests.get(c) ) params2.add(new Object[]{x});
             return params2.toArray(new Object[][]{});
         }
+
+        @Override
+        public String toString() {
+            return "TestDataProvider("+name+")";
+        }
     }
 
     /**