diff --git a/go/types/api_test.go b/go/types/api_test.go
index 598f121c..9abbfdb0 100644
--- a/go/types/api_test.go
+++ b/go/types/api_test.go
@@ -280,3 +280,26 @@ func TestInitOrder(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTypeString(t *testing.T) {
+	p, _ := pkgFor("p.go", "package p; type T int", nil)
+	q, _ := pkgFor("q.go", "package q", nil)
+
+	pT := p.Scope().Lookup("T").Type()
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		typ  Type
+		this *Package
+		want string
+	}{
+		{pT, nil, "p.T"},
+		{pT, p, "T"},
+		{pT, q, "p.T"},
+		{NewPointer(pT), p, "*T"},
+		{NewPointer(pT), q, "*p.T"},
+	} {
+		if got := TypeString(test.this, test.typ); got != test.want {
+			t.Errorf("TypeString(%s, %s) = %s, want %s",
+				test.this, test.typ, got, test.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/go/types/errors.go b/go/types/errors.go
index 346effdb..125457f6 100644
--- a/go/types/errors.go
+++ b/go/types/errors.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func ExprString(expr ast.Expr) string {
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
-// TODO(gri) Need to merge with typeString since some expressions are types (try: ([]int)(a))
+// TODO(gri) Need to merge with TypeString since some expressions are types (try: ([]int)(a))
 func WriteExpr(buf *bytes.Buffer, expr ast.Expr) {
 	switch x := expr.(type) {
 	case *ast.Ident:
@@ -173,14 +173,17 @@ func WriteExpr(buf *bytes.Buffer, expr ast.Expr) {
 	}
 }
 
-// typeString returns a string representation for typ.
-func typeString(typ Type) string {
+// TypeString returns the string form of typ.
+// Named types are printed package-qualified only
+// if they do not belong to this package.
+//
+func TypeString(this *Package, typ Type) string {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	writeType(&buf, typ)
+	writeType(&buf, this, typ)
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
-func writeTuple(buf *bytes.Buffer, tup *Tuple, isVariadic bool) {
+func writeTuple(buf *bytes.Buffer, this *Package, tup *Tuple, isVariadic bool) {
 	buf.WriteByte('(')
 	if tup != nil {
 		for i, v := range tup.vars {
@@ -196,14 +199,14 @@ func writeTuple(buf *bytes.Buffer, tup *Tuple, isVariadic bool) {
 				buf.WriteString("...")
 				typ = typ.(*Slice).elem
 			}
-			writeType(buf, typ)
+			writeType(buf, this, typ)
 		}
 	}
 	buf.WriteByte(')')
 }
 
-func writeSignature(buf *bytes.Buffer, sig *Signature) {
-	writeTuple(buf, sig.params, sig.isVariadic)
+func writeSignature(buf *bytes.Buffer, this *Package, sig *Signature) {
+	writeTuple(buf, this, sig.params, sig.isVariadic)
 
 	n := sig.results.Len()
 	if n == 0 {
@@ -214,15 +217,15 @@ func writeSignature(buf *bytes.Buffer, sig *Signature) {
 	buf.WriteByte(' ')
 	if n == 1 && sig.results.vars[0].name == "" {
 		// single unnamed result
-		writeType(buf, sig.results.vars[0].typ)
+		writeType(buf, this, sig.results.vars[0].typ)
 		return
 	}
 
 	// multiple or named result(s)
-	writeTuple(buf, sig.results, false)
+	writeTuple(buf, this, sig.results, false)
 }
 
-func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
+func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, this *Package, typ Type) {
 	switch t := typ.(type) {
 	case nil:
 		buf.WriteString("<nil>")
@@ -235,11 +238,11 @@ func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
 
 	case *Array:
 		fmt.Fprintf(buf, "[%d]", t.len)
-		writeType(buf, t.elem)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.elem)
 
 	case *Slice:
 		buf.WriteString("[]")
-		writeType(buf, t.elem)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.elem)
 
 	case *Struct:
 		buf.WriteString("struct{")
@@ -251,7 +254,7 @@ func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
 				buf.WriteString(f.name)
 				buf.WriteByte(' ')
 			}
-			writeType(buf, f.typ)
+			writeType(buf, this, f.typ)
 			if tag := t.Tag(i); tag != "" {
 				fmt.Fprintf(buf, " %q", tag)
 			}
@@ -260,14 +263,14 @@ func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
 
 	case *Pointer:
 		buf.WriteByte('*')
-		writeType(buf, t.base)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.base)
 
 	case *Tuple:
-		writeTuple(buf, t, false)
+		writeTuple(buf, this, t, false)
 
 	case *Signature:
 		buf.WriteString("func")
-		writeSignature(buf, t)
+		writeSignature(buf, this, t)
 
 	case *Interface:
 		// We write the source-level methods and embedded types rather
@@ -287,21 +290,21 @@ func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
 				buf.WriteString("; ")
 			}
 			buf.WriteString(m.name)
-			writeSignature(buf, m.typ.(*Signature))
+			writeSignature(buf, this, m.typ.(*Signature))
 		}
 		for i, typ := range t.types {
 			if i > 0 || len(t.methods) > 0 {
 				buf.WriteString("; ")
 			}
-			writeType(buf, typ)
+			writeType(buf, this, typ)
 		}
 		buf.WriteByte('}')
 
 	case *Map:
 		buf.WriteString("map[")
-		writeType(buf, t.key)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.key)
 		buf.WriteByte(']')
-		writeType(buf, t.elem)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.elem)
 
 	case *Chan:
 		var s string
@@ -314,28 +317,29 @@ func writeType(buf *bytes.Buffer, typ Type) {
 			s = "chan "
 		}
 		buf.WriteString(s)
-		writeType(buf, t.elem)
+		writeType(buf, this, t.elem)
 
 	case *Named:
 		s := "<Named w/o object>"
 		if obj := t.obj; obj != nil {
 			if obj.pkg != nil {
+				if obj.pkg != this {
+					buf.WriteString(obj.pkg.path)
+					buf.WriteByte('.')
+				}
 				// TODO(gri) Ideally we only want the qualification
 				// if we are referring to a type that was imported;
 				// but not when we are at the "top". We don't have
 				// this information easily available here.
-				//
-				// TODO(gri): define variants of Type.String()
-				// and Object.String() that accept the referring *Package
-				// as a parameter and omit the package qualification for
-				// intra-package references to named types.
-				//
+
 				// Some applications may want another variant that accepts a
 				// file Scope and prints packages using that file's local
 				// import names.  (Printing just pkg.name may be ambiguous
 				// or incorrect in other scopes.)
-				buf.WriteString(obj.pkg.path)
-				buf.WriteByte('.')
+
+				// TODO(gri): function-local named types should be displayed
+				// differently from named types at package level to avoid
+				// ambiguity.
 			}
 			s = t.obj.name
 		}
diff --git a/go/types/objects.go b/go/types/objects.go
index 4a828fff..3101bda8 100644
--- a/go/types/objects.go
+++ b/go/types/objects.go
@@ -83,25 +83,6 @@ func (obj *object) String() string   { panic("abstract") }
 
 func (obj *object) isUsed() bool { return obj.used }
 
-func (obj *object) toString(kind string, typ Type) string {
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-
-	buf.WriteString(kind)
-	buf.WriteByte(' ')
-	// For package-level objects, package-qualify the name.
-	if obj.pkg != nil && obj.pkg.scope.Lookup(obj.name) == obj {
-		buf.WriteString(obj.pkg.name)
-		buf.WriteByte('.')
-	}
-	buf.WriteString(obj.name)
-	if typ != nil {
-		buf.WriteByte(' ')
-		writeType(&buf, typ)
-	}
-
-	return buf.String()
-}
-
 func (obj *object) setParent(parent *Scope) { obj.parent = parent }
 
 func (obj *object) sameId(pkg *Package, name string) bool {
@@ -135,8 +116,6 @@ func NewPkgName(pos token.Pos, pkg *Package, name string) *PkgName {
 	return &PkgName{object{nil, pos, pkg, name, Typ[Invalid], false}}
 }
 
-func (obj *PkgName) String() string { return obj.toString("package", nil) }
-
 // A Const represents a declared constant.
 type Const struct {
 	object
@@ -149,7 +128,6 @@ func NewConst(pos token.Pos, pkg *Package, name string, typ Type, val exact.Valu
 	return &Const{object: object{nil, pos, pkg, name, typ, false}, val: val}
 }
 
-func (obj *Const) String() string   { return obj.toString("const", obj.typ) }
 func (obj *Const) Val() exact.Value { return obj.val }
 
 // A TypeName represents a declared type.
@@ -161,8 +139,6 @@ func NewTypeName(pos token.Pos, pkg *Package, name string, typ Type) *TypeName {
 	return &TypeName{object{nil, pos, pkg, name, typ, false}}
 }
 
-func (obj *TypeName) String() string { return obj.toString("type", obj.typ.Underlying()) }
-
 // A Variable represents a declared variable (including function parameters and results, and struct fields).
 type Var struct {
 	object
@@ -185,13 +161,7 @@ func NewField(pos token.Pos, pkg *Package, name string, typ Type, anonymous bool
 }
 
 func (obj *Var) Anonymous() bool { return obj.anonymous }
-func (obj *Var) String() string {
-	kind := "var"
-	if obj.isField {
-		kind = "field"
-	}
-	return obj.toString(kind, obj.typ)
-}
+
 func (obj *Var) IsField() bool { return obj.isField }
 
 // A Func represents a declared function, concrete method, or abstract
@@ -214,41 +184,7 @@ func NewFunc(pos token.Pos, pkg *Package, name string, sig *Signature) *Func {
 // function or method obj.
 func (obj *Func) FullName() string {
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	obj.fullname(&buf)
-	return buf.String()
-}
-
-func (obj *Func) fullname(buf *bytes.Buffer) {
-	if obj.typ != nil {
-		sig := obj.typ.(*Signature)
-		if recv := sig.Recv(); recv != nil {
-			buf.WriteByte('(')
-			if _, ok := recv.Type().(*Interface); ok {
-				// gcimporter creates abstract methods of
-				// named interfaces using the interface type
-				// (not the named type) as the receiver.
-				// Don't print it in full.
-				buf.WriteString("interface")
-			} else {
-				writeType(buf, recv.Type())
-			}
-			buf.WriteByte(')')
-			buf.WriteByte('.')
-		} else if obj.pkg != nil {
-			buf.WriteString(obj.pkg.name)
-			buf.WriteByte('.')
-		}
-	}
-	buf.WriteString(obj.name)
-}
-
-func (obj *Func) String() string {
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	buf.WriteString("func ")
-	obj.fullname(&buf)
-	if obj.typ != nil {
-		writeSignature(&buf, obj.typ.(*Signature))
-	}
+	writeFuncName(&buf, nil, obj)
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
@@ -261,8 +197,6 @@ func NewLabel(pos token.Pos, name string) *Label {
 	return &Label{object{pos: pos, name: name, typ: Typ[Invalid]}}
 }
 
-func (obj *Label) String() string { return fmt.Sprintf("label %s", obj.Name()) }
-
 // A Builtin represents a built-in function.
 // Builtins don't have a valid type.
 type Builtin struct {
@@ -280,4 +214,105 @@ type Nil struct {
 	object
 }
 
-func (*Nil) String() string { return "nil" }
+func writeObject(buf *bytes.Buffer, this *Package, obj Object) {
+	typ := obj.Type()
+	switch obj := obj.(type) {
+	case *PkgName:
+		buf.WriteString("package")
+		typ = nil
+
+	case *Const:
+		buf.WriteString("const")
+
+	case *TypeName:
+		buf.WriteString("type")
+		typ = typ.Underlying()
+
+	case *Var:
+		if obj.isField {
+			buf.WriteString("field")
+		} else {
+			buf.WriteString("var")
+		}
+
+	case *Func:
+		buf.WriteString("func ")
+		writeFuncName(buf, this, obj)
+		if typ != nil {
+			writeSignature(buf, this, typ.(*Signature))
+		}
+		return
+
+	case *Label:
+		buf.WriteString("label")
+		typ = nil
+
+	case *Builtin:
+		buf.WriteString("builtin")
+		typ = nil
+
+	case *Nil:
+		buf.WriteString("nil")
+		return
+
+	default:
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("writeObject(%T)", obj))
+	}
+
+	buf.WriteByte(' ')
+
+	// For package-level objects, package-qualify the name,
+	// except for intra-package references (this != nil).
+	if pkg := obj.Pkg(); pkg != nil && this != pkg && pkg.scope.Lookup(obj.Name()) == obj {
+		buf.WriteString(pkg.path)
+		buf.WriteByte('.')
+	}
+	buf.WriteString(obj.Name())
+	if typ != nil {
+		buf.WriteByte(' ')
+		writeType(buf, this, typ)
+	}
+}
+
+// ObjectString returns the string form of obj.
+// Object and type names are printed package-qualified
+// only if they do not belong to this package.
+//
+func ObjectString(this *Package, obj Object) string {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	writeObject(&buf, this, obj)
+	return buf.String()
+}
+
+func (obj *PkgName) String() string  { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Const) String() string    { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *TypeName) String() string { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Var) String() string      { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Func) String() string     { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Label) String() string    { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Builtin) String() string  { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+func (obj *Nil) String() string      { return ObjectString(nil, obj) }
+
+func writeFuncName(buf *bytes.Buffer, this *Package, f *Func) {
+	if f.typ != nil {
+		sig := f.typ.(*Signature)
+		if recv := sig.Recv(); recv != nil {
+			buf.WriteByte('(')
+			if _, ok := recv.Type().(*Interface); ok {
+				// gcimporter creates abstract methods of
+				// named interfaces using the interface type
+				// (not the named type) as the receiver.
+				// Don't print it in full.
+				buf.WriteString("interface")
+			} else {
+				writeType(buf, this, recv.Type())
+			}
+			buf.WriteByte(')')
+			buf.WriteByte('.')
+		} else if f.pkg != nil && f.pkg != this {
+			buf.WriteString(f.pkg.path)
+			buf.WriteByte('.')
+		}
+	}
+	buf.WriteString(f.name)
+}
diff --git a/go/types/operand.go b/go/types/operand.go
index 85c67922..4ad29e47 100644
--- a/go/types/operand.go
+++ b/go/types/operand.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func (x *operand) String() string {
 		case builtin:
 			expr = predeclaredFuncs[x.id].name
 		case typexpr:
-			expr = typeString(x.typ)
+			expr = TypeString(nil, x.typ)
 		case constant:
 			expr = x.val.String()
 		}
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func (x *operand) String() string {
 	if hasType {
 		if x.typ != Typ[Invalid] {
 			buf.WriteString(" of type ")
-			writeType(&buf, x.typ)
+			writeType(&buf, nil, x.typ)
 		} else {
 			buf.WriteString(" with invalid type")
 		}
diff --git a/go/types/selection.go b/go/types/selection.go
index d8faf694..25dd82ef 100644
--- a/go/types/selection.go
+++ b/go/types/selection.go
@@ -132,6 +132,6 @@ func (s *Selection) String() string {
 	}
 	var buf bytes.Buffer
 	fmt.Fprintf(&buf, "%s (%s) %s", k, s.Recv(), s.obj.Name())
-	writeSignature(&buf, s.Type().(*Signature))
+	writeSignature(&buf, nil, s.Type().(*Signature))
 	return buf.String()
 }
diff --git a/go/types/types.go b/go/types/types.go
index 209288c9..b8190c49 100644
--- a/go/types/types.go
+++ b/go/types/types.go
@@ -404,14 +404,14 @@ func (t *Map) MethodSet() *MethodSet       { return &emptyMethodSet }
 func (t *Chan) MethodSet() *MethodSet      { return &emptyMethodSet }
 func (t *Named) MethodSet() *MethodSet     { return t.mset.of(t) }
 
-func (t *Basic) String() string     { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Array) String() string     { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Slice) String() string     { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Struct) String() string    { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Pointer) String() string   { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Tuple) String() string     { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Signature) String() string { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Interface) String() string { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Map) String() string       { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Chan) String() string      { return typeString(t) }
-func (t *Named) String() string     { return typeString(t) }
+func (t *Basic) String() string     { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Array) String() string     { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Slice) String() string     { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Struct) String() string    { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Pointer) String() string   { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Tuple) String() string     { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Signature) String() string { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Interface) String() string { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Map) String() string       { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Chan) String() string      { return TypeString(nil, t) }
+func (t *Named) String() string     { return TypeString(nil, t) }