diff --git a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/tilebeam.py b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/tilebeam.py
index 25373f689e280bb2c81a1d6cbb5527a611f02092..fff2beba61230d0777c68f1f90c7f99fa1c2c3eb 100644
--- a/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/tilebeam.py
+++ b/tangostationcontrol/tangostationcontrol/devices/tilebeam.py
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ class TileBeam(beam_device):
         dtype=((numpy.str,),), max_dim_x=3, max_dim_y=96,
         fget=lambda self: self._pointing_direction_rw)
 
+    Pointing_direction_str_R = attribute(access=AttrWriteType.READ,
+        doc='Pointing direction as a formatted string',
+        dtype=(numpy.str,), max_dim_x=96,
+        fget=lambda self:  ["{0} ({1}, {2})".format(*x) for x in self._pointing_direction_r])
+
     Pointing_timestamp_R = attribute(access=AttrWriteType.READ,
         dtype=(numpy.double,), max_dim_x=96,
         fget=lambda self: self._pointing_timestamp_r)