diff --git a/Makefile.PL b/Makefile.PL
index 3378c31..03e44bf 100644
--- a/Makefile.PL
+++ b/Makefile.PL
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ WriteMakefile(
                           'https://github.com/peczenyj/GDPR-IAB-TCFv2/issues'
                     },
                 },
+                recommends => {
+                    'JSON' => 0,
+                },
                 x_authority => 'cpan:PACMAN',
             }
           )
diff --git a/lib/GDPR/IAB/TCFv2.pm b/lib/GDPR/IAB/TCFv2.pm
index 4dbd20b..f081137 100644
--- a/lib/GDPR/IAB/TCFv2.pm
+++ b/lib/GDPR/IAB/TCFv2.pm
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ use constant {
     VENDOR_CONSENT_OFFSET                => 230,
 };
 
+use overload q<""> => \&tc_string;
 
 INIT {
     if ( my $native_decode_base64url = MIME::Base64->can("decode_base64url") )
@@ -132,6 +133,12 @@ sub Parse {
     return $self;
 }
 
+sub tc_string {
+    my $self = shift;
+
+    return $self->{tc_string};
+}
+
 sub version {
     my $self = shift;
 
@@ -302,8 +309,9 @@ sub TO_JSON {
     my $use_epoch = !!$self->{options}->{use_epoch};
 
     return {
-        version => $self->version,
-        created => $use_epoch
+        tc_string => $self->tc_string,
+        version   => $self->version,
+        created   => $use_epoch
         ? $self->created
         : _format_date_iso8601( $self->created ),
         last_updated => $use_epoch
@@ -675,6 +683,12 @@ See L<TO_JSON> for more details.
 
 =head1 METHODS
 
+=head2 tc_string
+
+Returns the original consent string.
+
+The consent object L<GDPR::IAB::TCFv2> will call this method on string interpolations.
+
 =head2 version
 
 Version number of the encoding format. The value is 2 for this format.
diff --git a/t/01-parse.t b/t/01-parse.t
index 31b38c0..74407db 100644
--- a/t/01-parse.t
+++ b/t/01-parse.t
@@ -9,15 +9,20 @@ use GDPR::IAB::TCFv2;
 subtest "valid tcf v2 consent string using bitfield" => sub {
     my $consent;
 
+    my $tc_string =
+      'CLcVDxRMWfGmWAVAHCENAXCkAKDAADnAABRgA5mdfCKZuYJez-NQm0TBMYA4oCAAGQYIAAAAAAEAIAEgAA.argAC0gAAAAAAAAAAAA';
     lives_ok {
-        $consent = GDPR::IAB::TCFv2->Parse(
-            'CLcVDxRMWfGmWAVAHCENAXCkAKDAADnAABRgA5mdfCKZuYJez-NQm0TBMYA4oCAAGQYIAAAAAAEAIAEgAA.argAC0gAAAAAAAAAAAA'
-        );
+        $consent = GDPR::IAB::TCFv2->Parse($tc_string);
     }
     'should not throw exception';
 
     isa_ok $consent, 'GDPR::IAB::TCFv2', 'gdpr iab tcf v2 consent';
 
+    is $consent->tc_string, $tc_string, 'should return the original tc string';
+
+    is "${consent}", $tc_string,
+      'should return the original tc string in string context';
+
     is $consent->version, 2, 'should return version 2';
 
     is $consent->created, 1228644257,
@@ -152,15 +157,20 @@ subtest "valid tcf v2 consent string using bitfield" => sub {
 subtest "valid tcf v2 consent string using range" => sub {
     my $consent;
 
+    my $tc_string =
+      'COyfVVoOyfVVoADACHENAwCAAAAAAAAAAAAAE5QBgALgAqgD8AQACSwEygJyAnSAMABgAFkAgQCDASeAmYBOgAA';
     lives_ok {
-        $consent = GDPR::IAB::TCFv2->Parse(
-            'COyfVVoOyfVVoADACHENAwCAAAAAAAAAAAAAE5QBgALgAqgD8AQACSwEygJyAnSAMABgAFkAgQCDASeAmYBOgAA'
-        );
+        $consent = GDPR::IAB::TCFv2->Parse($tc_string);
     }
     'should not throw exception';
 
     isa_ok $consent, 'GDPR::IAB::TCFv2', 'gdpr iab tcf v2 consent';
 
+    is $consent->tc_string, $tc_string, 'should return the original tc string';
+
+    is "${consent}", $tc_string,
+      'should return the original tc string in string context';
+
     is $consent->version, 2, 'should return version 2';
 
     is $consent->created, 1587946020,