diff --git a/sync/syncable/directory.cc b/sync/syncable/directory.cc
index 9d959e64193a95..3b735e9eccfd72 100644
--- a/sync/syncable/directory.cc
+++ b/sync/syncable/directory.cc
@@ -1470,7 +1470,7 @@ void Directory::PutPredecessor(EntryKernel* e, EntryKernel* predecessor) {
   // without valid positions.  See TODO above.
   // Using a release CHECK here because the following UniquePosition::Between
   // call crashes anyway when the position string is empty (see crbug/332371).
-  CHECK(successor->ref(UNIQUE_POSITION).IsValid());
+  CHECK(successor->ref(UNIQUE_POSITION).IsValid()) << *successor;
 
   // Finally, the normal case: inserting between two elements.
   UniquePosition pos = UniquePosition::Between(
diff --git a/sync/syncable/entry.cc b/sync/syncable/entry.cc
index e9d4ec14ede386..ca249e5dc978a1 100644
--- a/sync/syncable/entry.cc
+++ b/sync/syncable/entry.cc
@@ -6,13 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <iomanip>
 
-#include "base/json/string_escape.h"
-#include "base/strings/string_util.h"
 #include "sync/syncable/directory.h"
 #include "sync/syncable/syncable_base_transaction.h"
-#include "sync/syncable/syncable_columns.h"
-
-using std::string;
 
 namespace syncer {
 namespace syncable {
@@ -22,7 +17,7 @@ Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetById, const Id& id)
   kernel_ = trans->directory()->GetEntryById(id);
 }
 
-Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetByClientTag, const string& tag)
+Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetByClientTag, const std::string& tag)
     : basetrans_(trans) {
   kernel_ = trans->directory()->GetEntryByClientTag(tag);
 }
@@ -38,7 +33,7 @@ Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetByHandle, int64 metahandle)
   kernel_ = trans->directory()->GetEntryByHandle(metahandle);
 }
 
-Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetByServerTag, const string& tag)
+Entry::Entry(BaseTransaction* trans, GetByServerTag, const std::string& tag)
     : basetrans_(trans) {
   kernel_ = trans->directory()->GetEntryByServerTag(tag);
 }
@@ -135,52 +130,7 @@ bool Entry::ShouldMaintainHierarchy() const {
 }
 
 std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const Entry& entry) {
-  int i;
-  EntryKernel* const kernel = entry.kernel_;
-  for (i = BEGIN_FIELDS; i < INT64_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
-       << kernel->ref(static_cast<Int64Field>(i)) << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < TIME_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
-       << GetTimeDebugString(kernel->ref(static_cast<TimeField>(i))) << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < ID_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
-       << kernel->ref(static_cast<IdField>(i)) << ", ";
-  }
-  os << "Flags: ";
-  for ( ; i < BIT_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    if (kernel->ref(static_cast<BitField>(i)))
-      os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < STRING_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    const std::string& field = kernel->ref(static_cast<StringField>(i));
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << field << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < PROTO_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    std::string escaped_str = base::EscapeBytesAsInvalidJSONString(
-        kernel->ref(static_cast<ProtoField>(i)).SerializeAsString(),
-        false);
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << escaped_str << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < UNIQUE_POSITION_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
-       << kernel->ref(static_cast<UniquePositionField>(i)).ToDebugString()
-       << ", ";
-  }
-  for ( ; i < ATTACHMENT_METADATA_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
-    std::string escaped_str = base::EscapeBytesAsInvalidJSONString(
-        kernel->ref(static_cast<AttachmentMetadataField>(i))
-            .SerializeAsString(),
-        false);
-    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << escaped_str << ", ";
-  }
-  os << "TempFlags: ";
-  for ( ; i < BIT_TEMPS_END; ++i) {
-    if (kernel->ref(static_cast<BitTemp>(i)))
-      os << "#" << i - BIT_TEMPS_BEGIN << ", ";
-  }
+  os << *(entry.kernel_);
   return os;
 }
 
diff --git a/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.cc b/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.cc
index d73acafd850f76..8fb611f23b400c 100644
--- a/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.cc
+++ b/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.cc
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@
 
 #include "sync/syncable/entry_kernel.h"
 
+#include "base/json/string_escape.h"
 #include "base/strings/string_number_conversions.h"
 #include "sync/protocol/proto_value_conversions.h"
+#include "sync/syncable/syncable_columns.h"
 #include "sync/syncable/syncable_enum_conversions.h"
 #include "sync/util/cryptographer.h"
 
@@ -236,5 +238,54 @@ base::DictionaryValue* EntryKernelMutationToValue(
   return dict;
 }
 
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const EntryKernel& entry_kernel) {
+  int i;
+  EntryKernel* const kernel = const_cast<EntryKernel*>(&entry_kernel);
+  for (i = BEGIN_FIELDS; i < INT64_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
+       << kernel->ref(static_cast<Int64Field>(i)) << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < TIME_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
+       << GetTimeDebugString(kernel->ref(static_cast<TimeField>(i))) << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < ID_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
+       << kernel->ref(static_cast<IdField>(i)) << ", ";
+  }
+  os << "Flags: ";
+  for (; i < BIT_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    if (kernel->ref(static_cast<BitField>(i)))
+      os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < STRING_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    const std::string& field = kernel->ref(static_cast<StringField>(i));
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << field << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < PROTO_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    std::string escaped_str = base::EscapeBytesAsInvalidJSONString(
+        kernel->ref(static_cast<ProtoField>(i)).SerializeAsString(), false);
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << escaped_str << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < UNIQUE_POSITION_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": "
+       << kernel->ref(static_cast<UniquePositionField>(i)).ToDebugString()
+       << ", ";
+  }
+  for (; i < ATTACHMENT_METADATA_FIELDS_END; ++i) {
+    std::string escaped_str = base::EscapeBytesAsInvalidJSONString(
+        kernel->ref(static_cast<AttachmentMetadataField>(i))
+            .SerializeAsString(),
+        false);
+    os << g_metas_columns[i].name << ": " << escaped_str << ", ";
+  }
+  os << "TempFlags: ";
+  for (; i < BIT_TEMPS_END; ++i) {
+    if (kernel->ref(static_cast<BitTemp>(i)))
+      os << "#" << i - BIT_TEMPS_BEGIN << ", ";
+  }
+  return os;
+}
+
 }  // namespace syncer
 }  // namespace syncable
diff --git a/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.h b/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.h
index 746d644d1825ea..c1fc5e548a1452 100644
--- a/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.h
+++ b/sync/syncable/entry_kernel.h
@@ -124,8 +124,8 @@ enum StringField {
   // A tag string which identifies this node as a particular top-level
   // permanent object.  The tag can be thought of as a unique key that
   // identifies a singleton instance.
-  UNIQUE_SERVER_TAG,  // Tagged by the server
-  UNIQUE_CLIENT_TAG,  // Tagged by the client
+  UNIQUE_SERVER_TAG,    // Tagged by the server
+  UNIQUE_CLIENT_TAG,    // Tagged by the client
   UNIQUE_BOOKMARK_TAG,  // Client tags for bookmark items
   STRING_FIELDS_END,
 };
@@ -191,8 +191,6 @@ enum {
   BIT_TEMPS_COUNT = BIT_TEMPS_END - BIT_TEMPS_BEGIN
 };
 
-
-
 struct SYNC_EXPORT_PRIVATE EntryKernel {
  private:
   std::string string_fields[STRING_FIELDS_COUNT];
@@ -206,6 +204,8 @@ struct SYNC_EXPORT_PRIVATE EntryKernel {
   std::bitset<BIT_FIELDS_COUNT> bit_fields;
   std::bitset<BIT_TEMPS_COUNT> bit_temps;
 
+  friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& s, const EntryKernel& e);
+
  public:
   EntryKernel();
   ~EntryKernel();
@@ -405,6 +405,8 @@ base::DictionaryValue* EntryKernelMutationToValue(
 base::ListValue* EntryKernelMutationMapToValue(
     const EntryKernelMutationMap& mutations);
 
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const EntryKernel& entry_kernel);
+
 }  // namespace syncable
 }  // namespace syncer