diff --git a/spa/include/spa/monitor/device.h b/spa/include/spa/monitor/device.h
index 16ad4a1d6..fc19361f7 100644
--- a/spa/include/spa/monitor/device.h
+++ b/spa/include/spa/monitor/device.h
@@ -288,6 +288,8 @@ struct spa_device_methods {
 								  *  "computer", "portable" */
 #define SPA_KEY_DEVICE_PROFILE		"device.profile	"	/**< profile for the device */
 #define SPA_KEY_DEVICE_PROFILE_SET	"device.profile-set"	/**< profile set for the device */
+#define SPA_KEY_DEVICE_STRING		"device.string"		/**< device string in the underlying
+								  *  layer's format. E.g. "surround51:0" */
 
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
index 6f0712223..f4f5290a3 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/bluez5/bluez5-dbus.c
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ static int device_connected_old(struct spa_bt_monitor *monitor, struct spa_bt_de
 		items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_DEVICE_FORM_FACTOR,
 				spa_bt_form_factor_name(
 					spa_bt_form_factor_from_class(device->bluetooth_class)));
+		items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_DEVICE_STRING, device->address);
 		items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_API_BLUEZ5_PATH, device->path);
 		items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_API_BLUEZ5_ADDRESS, device->address);
 		snprintf(dev, sizeof(dev), "pointer:%p", device);
@@ -823,6 +824,7 @@ static int device_connected(struct spa_bt_monitor *monitor, struct spa_bt_device
 	items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_DEVICE_FORM_FACTOR,
 			spa_bt_form_factor_name(
 				spa_bt_form_factor_from_class(device->bluetooth_class)));
+	items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_DEVICE_STRING, device->address);
 	items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_API_BLUEZ5_PATH, device->path);
 	items[n_items++] = SPA_DICT_ITEM_INIT(SPA_KEY_API_BLUEZ5_ADDRESS, device->address);
 	snprintf(dev, sizeof(dev), "pointer:%p", device);