diff --git a/objects/widget.c b/objects/widget.c
index ecd67d7c..7e98b11e 100644
--- a/objects/widget.c
+++ b/objects/widget.c
@@ -494,6 +494,17 @@ luaA_widget_extents(lua_State *L)
     return 1;
 }
 
+static int
+luaA_widget_get_type(lua_State *L, widget_t *w)
+{
+    if (w->type == widget_textbox) lua_pushstring(L, "textbox");
+    else if (w->type == widget_systray) lua_pushstring(L, "systray");
+    else if (w->type == widget_imagebox) lua_pushstring(L, "imagebox");
+    else lua_pushstring(L, "unknown");
+
+    return 1;
+}
+
 static int
 luaA_widget_set_type(lua_State *L, widget_t *w)
 {
@@ -572,7 +583,7 @@ widget_class_setup(lua_State *L)
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_widget_set_visible);
     luaA_class_add_property(&widget_class, A_TK_TYPE,
                             (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_widget_set_type,
-                            NULL,
+                            (lua_class_propfunc_t) luaA_widget_get_type,
                             NULL);
 }