diff --git a/.changeset/funny-lemons-camp.md b/.changeset/funny-lemons-camp.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cb99ff2ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/funny-lemons-camp.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/backend-app-api': patch
+---
+
+Add a `toString` on the default `BackendFeatureMeta` implementations
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts
index 86b0b51bd9..a73a83027b 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.test.ts
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ describe('BackendInitializer', () => {
   });
 
   it('should properly add plugins + modules to the instance metadata service', async () => {
-    expect.assertions(1);
+    expect.assertions(2);
     const backend = new BackendInitializer(baseFactories);
     const plugin = createBackendPlugin({
       pluginId: 'test',
@@ -919,6 +919,13 @@ describe('BackendInitializer', () => {
                 type: 'plugin',
               },
             ]);
+            expect(instanceMetadata.getInstalledFeatures().map(String)).toEqual(
+              [
+                'plugin{pluginId=test}',
+                'module{moduleId=test,pluginId=test}',
+                'plugin{pluginId=instance-metadata}',
+              ],
+            );
           },
         });
       },
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
index b8c37f7471..6148583bda 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/wiring/BackendInitializer.ts
@@ -111,13 +111,33 @@ function createInstanceMetadataServiceFactory(
           .getRegistrations()
           .map(feature => {
             if (feature.type === 'plugin') {
-              return { type: 'plugin', pluginId: feature.pluginId };
+              return Object.defineProperty(
+                {
+                  type: 'plugin',
+                  pluginId: feature.pluginId,
+                },
+                'toString',
+                {
+                  enumerable: false,
+                  configurable: false,
+                  value: () => `plugin{pluginId=${feature.pluginId}}`,
+                },
+              );
             } else if (feature.type === 'module') {
-              return {
-                type: 'module',
-                pluginId: feature.pluginId,
-                moduleId: feature.moduleId,
-              };
+              return Object.defineProperty(
+                {
+                  type: 'module',
+                  pluginId: feature.pluginId,
+                  moduleId: feature.moduleId,
+                },
+                'toString',
+                {
+                  enumerable: false,
+                  configurable: false,
+                  value: () =>
+                    `module{moduleId=${feature.moduleId},pluginId=${feature.pluginId}}`,
+                },
+              );
             }
             // Ignore unknown feature types.
             return undefined;
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts b/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
index dd499aa40a..5f835f3117 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/instanceMetadata.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ export default createBackendPlugin({
       },
       async init({ instanceMetadata, logger }) {
         logger.info(
-          `Installed features on this instance: ${instanceMetadata.getInstalledFeatures()}`,
+          `Installed features on this instance: ${instanceMetadata
+            .getInstalledFeatures()
+            .join(', ')}`,
         );
       },
     });