diff --git a/src/V3AstNodeExpr.h b/src/V3AstNodeExpr.h
index 3c1bf40d0..be535e86d 100644
--- a/src/V3AstNodeExpr.h
+++ b/src/V3AstNodeExpr.h
@@ -5534,6 +5534,20 @@ public:
     bool cleanLhs() const override { return true; }
     bool sizeMattersLhs() const override { return false; }
 };
+class AstToStringN final : public AstNodeUniop {
+public:
+    AstToStringN(FileLine* fl, AstNodeExpr* lhsp)
+        : ASTGEN_SUPER_ToStringN(fl, lhsp) {
+        dtypeSetString();
+    }
+    ASTGEN_MEMBERS_AstToStringN;
+    void numberOperate(V3Number& out, const V3Number& lhs) override { V3ERROR_NA; }
+    string emitVerilog() override { return "$sformatf(\"%p\", %l)"; }
+    string emitC() override { return isWide() ? "VL_TO_STRING_W(%nw, %li)" : "VL_TO_STRING(%li)"; }
+    bool cleanOut() const override { return true; }
+    bool cleanLhs() const override { return true; }
+    bool sizeMattersLhs() const override { return false; }
+};
 class AstToUpperN final : public AstNodeUniop {
     // string.toupper()
 public:
diff --git a/src/V3Simulate.h b/src/V3Simulate.h
index 65b58cf7b..30e3468d9 100644
--- a/src/V3Simulate.h
+++ b/src/V3Simulate.h
@@ -1260,6 +1260,13 @@ private:
             }
         }
     }
+    void visit(AstToStringN* nodep) override {
+        if (jumpingOver()) return;
+        if (!optimizable()) return;  // Accelerate
+        checkNodeInfo(nodep);
+        iterateChildrenConst(nodep);
+        clearOptimizable(nodep, "Cannot convert to string");  // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+    }
 
     void visit(AstCoverInc* nodep) override { m_isCoverage = true; }
 
diff --git a/src/V3Width.cpp b/src/V3Width.cpp
index 7ce8d1477..22ce31ba7 100644
--- a/src/V3Width.cpp
+++ b/src/V3Width.cpp
@@ -5525,6 +5525,11 @@ class WidthVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
         userIterateAndNext(nodep->fmtp(), WidthVP{SELF, BOTH}.p());
         userIterateAndNext(nodep->lhsp(), WidthVP{SELF, BOTH}.p());
     }
+    void visit(AstToStringN* nodep) override {
+        // Inserted by V3Width only so we know has been resolved
+        nodep->dtypeSetString();
+        userIterateAndNext(nodep->lhsp(), WidthVP{nodep->lhsp()->dtypep(), BOTH}.p());
+    }
     void visit(AstSFormatF* nodep) override {
         // Excludes NodeDisplay, see below
         if (m_vup && !m_vup->prelim()) return;  // Can be called as statement or function
@@ -5611,13 +5616,7 @@ class WidthVisitor final : public VNVisitor {
                         VNRelinker handle;
                         argp->unlinkFrBack(&handle);
                         FileLine* const flp = nodep->fileline();
-                        AstCExpr* const newp = new AstCExpr{flp, nullptr};
-                        newp->addExprsp(new AstText{flp, "VL_TO_STRING(", true});
-                        newp->addExprsp(argp);
-                        newp->addExprsp(new AstText{flp, ")", true});
-                        newp->dtypeSetString();
-                        newp->pure(true);
-                        newp->protect(false);
+                        AstNodeExpr* const newp = new AstToStringN{flp, argp};
                         handle.relink(newp);
                         // Set argp to what we replaced it with, as we will keep processing the
                         // next argument.