diff --git a/scripts/maint/practracker/exceptions.txt b/scripts/maint/practracker/exceptions.txt
index 4db452b897..2190fb1caa 100644
--- a/scripts/maint/practracker/exceptions.txt
+++ b/scripts/maint/practracker/exceptions.txt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 # Remember: It is better to fix the problem than to add a new exception!
 
 problem file-size /src/app/config/config.c 8518
-problem include-count /src/app/config/config.c 87
+problem include-count /src/app/config/config.c 88
 problem function-size /src/app/config/config.c:options_act_reversible() 296
 problem function-size /src/app/config/config.c:options_act() 589
 problem function-size /src/app/config/config.c:resolve_my_address() 192
diff --git a/src/app/config/config.c b/src/app/config/config.c
index 37cbe6b2ef..8da1e2acdc 100644
--- a/src/app/config/config.c
+++ b/src/app/config/config.c
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
 #include "feature/stats/predict_ports.h"
 #include "feature/stats/rephist.h"
 #include "lib/compress/compress.h"
+#include "lib/confmgt/structvar.h"
 #include "lib/crypt_ops/crypto_init.h"
 #include "lib/crypt_ops/crypto_rand.h"
 #include "lib/crypt_ops/crypto_util.h"
@@ -8195,37 +8196,10 @@ getinfo_helper_config(control_connection_t *conn,
     int i;
     for (i = 0; option_vars_[i].member.name; ++i) {
       const config_var_t *var = &option_vars_[i];
-      const char *type;
       /* don't tell controller about triple-underscore options */
       if (!strncmp(option_vars_[i].member.name, "___", 3))
         continue;
-      switch (var->member.type) {
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_STRING: type = "String"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_FILENAME: type = "Filename"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_POSINT: type = "Integer"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_UINT64: type = "Integer"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_INT: type = "SignedInteger"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_INTERVAL: type = "TimeInterval"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_MSEC_INTERVAL: type = "TimeMsecInterval"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_MEMUNIT: type = "DataSize"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_DOUBLE: type = "Float"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_BOOL: type = "Boolean"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_AUTOBOOL: type = "Boolean+Auto"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_ISOTIME: type = "Time"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_ROUTERSET: type = "RouterList"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_CSV: type = "CommaList"; break;
-        /* This type accepts more inputs than TimeInterval, but it ignores
-         * everything after the first entry, so we may as well pretend
-         * it's a TimeInterval. */
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_CSV_INTERVAL: type = "TimeInterval"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_LINELIST: type = "LineList"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_LINELIST_S: type = "Dependent"; break;
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_LINELIST_V: type = "Virtual"; break;
-        default:
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_OBSOLETE:
-        case CONFIG_TYPE_EXTENDED:
-          type = NULL; break;
-      }
+      const char *type = struct_var_get_typename(&var->member);
       if (!type)
         continue;
       smartlist_add_asprintf(sl, "%s %s\n",var->member.name,type);
diff --git a/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.c b/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.c
index 7ea00fbde9..38f8e5dd7a 100644
--- a/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.c
+++ b/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #include "lib/confmgt/typedvar.h"
 #include "lib/log/util_bug.h"
 
+#include "lib/confmgt/var_type_def_st.h"
+
 #include <stddef.h>
 
 /**
@@ -198,3 +200,27 @@ struct_var_kvencode(const void *object, const struct_member_t *member)
 
   return typed_var_kvencode_ex(member->name, p, def);
 }
+
+/**
+ * Return the official name of this struct member.
+ **/
+const char *
+struct_var_get_name(const struct_member_t *member)
+{
+  return member->name;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Return the type name for this struct member.
+ *
+ * Do not use the output of this function to inspect a type within Tor.  It is
+ * suitable for debugging, informing the controller or user of a variable's
+ * type, etc.
+ **/
+const char *
+struct_var_get_typename(const struct_member_t *member)
+{
+  const var_type_def_t *def = get_type_def(member);
+
+  return def ? def->name : NULL;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.h b/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.h
index 894098e509..92b9b6fc71 100644
--- a/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.h
+++ b/src/lib/confmgt/structvar.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ bool struct_var_eq(const void *a, const void *b,
 bool struct_var_ok(const void *object,
                    const struct struct_member_t *member);
 
+const char *struct_var_get_name(const struct struct_member_t *member);
+const char *struct_var_get_typename(const struct struct_member_t *member);
+
 int struct_var_kvassign(void *object, const struct config_line_t *line,
                         char **errmsg,
                         const struct struct_member_t *member);