diff --git a/django_netjsonconfig/base/config.py b/django_netjsonconfig/base/config.py
index 45827a2..6ae8810 100644
--- a/django_netjsonconfig/base/config.py
+++ b/django_netjsonconfig/base/config.py
@@ -231,3 +231,15 @@ def get_context(self):
 
     class Meta:
         abstract = True
+
+
+def sortedm2m__str__(self):
+    """
+    Improves string representation of m2m relationship objects
+
+    TODO
+    ----
+    this method can be removed if the following pull request
+    gets merged: https://github.com/gregmuellegger/django-sortedm2m/pull/101
+    """
+    return _('Relationship with {0}').format(self.template.name)
diff --git a/django_netjsonconfig/models.py b/django_netjsonconfig/models.py
index 54c47fc..b038134 100644
--- a/django_netjsonconfig/models.py
+++ b/django_netjsonconfig/models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from .base.config import AbstractConfig, TemplatesVpnMixin
+from .base.config import AbstractConfig, TemplatesVpnMixin, sortedm2m__str__
 from .base.template import AbstractTemplate
 from .base.vpn import AbstractVpn, AbstractVpnClient
 
@@ -11,13 +11,6 @@ class Meta(AbstractConfig.Meta):
         abstract = False
 
 
-def sortedm2m__str__(self):
-    """
-    Improves string representation of m2m relationship objects
-    """
-    return self.template.name
-
-
 Config.templates.through.__str__ = sortedm2m__str__
 
 
diff --git a/django_netjsonconfig/tests/test_config.py b/django_netjsonconfig/tests/test_config.py
index 00653ec..e6bdcc2 100644
--- a/django_netjsonconfig/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/django_netjsonconfig/tests/test_config.py
@@ -418,3 +418,10 @@ def test_vpn_context_no_cert(self):
         self.assertNotIn(key_contents_key, context)
         self.assertIn(ca_path_key, context)
         self.assertIn(ca_contents_key, context)
+
+    def test_m2m_str_conversion(self):
+        t = self._create_template()
+        c = self._create_config(name='test-m2m-str-repr')
+        c.templates.add(t)
+        c.save()
+        self.assertIn('Relationship with', str(c.templates.through.objects.first()))