diff --git a/ipalib/frontend.py b/ipalib/frontend.py
index 56c4ea01f..87126a440 100644
--- a/ipalib/frontend.py
+++ b/ipalib/frontend.py
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ class Param(plugable.ReadOnly):
     )
 
     def __init__(self, name, **override):
+        self.__override = override
         if not ('required' in override or 'multivalue' in override):
             (name, kw_from_spec) = parse_param_spec(name)
             override.update(kw_from_spec)
diff --git a/ipalib/util.py b/ipalib/util.py
index 9bc432545..89e2c5a74 100644
--- a/ipalib/util.py
+++ b/ipalib/util.py
@@ -137,3 +137,12 @@ class LogFormatter(logging.Formatter):
     Log formatter that uses UTC for all timestamps.
     """
     converter = time.gmtime
+
+
+def make_repr(name, *args, **kw):
+    """
+    Construct a standard representation of a class instance.
+    """
+    args = [repr(a) for a in args]
+    kw = ['%s=%r' % (k, kw[k]) for k in sorted(kw)]
+    return '%s(%s)' % (name, ', '.join(args + kw))
diff --git a/tests/test_ipalib/test_util.py b/tests/test_ipalib/test_util.py
index 04ff23f09..6729fcda5 100644
--- a/tests/test_ipalib/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_ipalib/test_util.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from ipalib import util
 
 def test_xmlrpc_marshal():
     """
-    Test the `util.xmlrpc_marshal` function.
+    Test the `ipalib.util.xmlrpc_marshal` function.
     """
     f = util.xmlrpc_marshal
     assert f() == ({},)
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def test_xmlrpc_marshal():
 
 def test_xmlrpc_unmarshal():
     """
-    Test the `util.xmlrpc_unmarshal` function.
+    Test the `ipalib.util.xmlrpc_unmarshal` function.
     """
     f = util.xmlrpc_unmarshal
     assert f() == (tuple(), {})
@@ -47,3 +47,15 @@ def test_xmlrpc_unmarshal():
     assert f(dict(one=1, two=2)) == (tuple(), dict(one=1, two=2))
     assert f(dict(three=3, four=4), 'one', 'two') == \
         (('one', 'two'), dict(three=3, four=4))
+
+
+def test_make_repr():
+    """
+    Test the `ipalib.util.make_repr` function.
+    """
+    f = util.make_repr
+    assert f('my') == 'my()'
+    assert f('my', True, u'hello') == "my(True, u'hello')"
+    assert f('my', one=1, two='two') == "my(one=1, two='two')"
+    assert f('my', None, 3, dog='animal', apple='fruit') == \
+        "my(None, 3, apple='fruit', dog='animal')"