diff --git a/Source/Swig/stype.c b/Source/Swig/stype.c
index aa5d448a3..707232558 100644
--- a/Source/Swig/stype.c
+++ b/Source/Swig/stype.c
@@ -550,7 +550,10 @@ String *SwigType_str(SwigType *s, const_String_or_char_ptr id) {
   int nelements, i;
 
   if (id) {
-    result = NewString(id);
+    /* stringify the id expanding templates, for example when the id is a fully qualified templated class name */
+    String *id_str = NewString(id); /* unfortunate copy due to current const limitations */
+    result = SwigType_str(id_str, 0);
+    Delete(id_str);
   } else {
     result = NewStringEmpty();
   }