diff --git a/ircmeeting/items.py b/ircmeeting/items.py
index 38b9972..6631ae3 100644
--- a/ircmeeting/items.py
+++ b/ircmeeting/items.py
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ class Topic(_BaseItem):
     def mw(self, M):
         repl = self.get_replacements(M, escapewith=writers.mw)
         return self.mw_template%repl
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "#topic %s" % self.topic
 
 class GenericItem(_BaseItem):
     itemtype = ''
@@ -290,5 +292,7 @@ class Link(_BaseItem):
     def mw(self, M):
         repl = self.get_replacements(M, escapewith=writers.mw)
         return self.mw_template%repl
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "#link %s" % self.url
 class Vote(GenericItem):
     itemtype = 'VOTE'