diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/Key.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/Key.java
index 7832b936c1..c99d1543f1 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/Key.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/Key.java
@@ -74,4 +74,9 @@ public interface Key<R extends Record> extends Serializable {
      * @see #getFields()
      */
     TableField<R, ?>[] getFieldsArray();
+
+    /**
+     * Get this <code>KEY</code> as a formal {@link Constraint} specification.
+     */
+    Constraint constraint();
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractKey.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractKey.java
index d548a3b6e5..fe093272ed 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractKey.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/AbstractKey.java
@@ -132,4 +132,9 @@ abstract class AbstractKey<R extends Record> implements Key<R> {
             return false;
         return true;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return constraint().toString();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/ReferenceImpl.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/ReferenceImpl.java
index a4f58c8730..203798c516 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/ReferenceImpl.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/ReferenceImpl.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.jooq.AttachableInternal;
+import org.jooq.Constraint;
 import org.jooq.DSLContext;
 import org.jooq.Field;
 import org.jooq.ForeignKey;
@@ -215,36 +216,10 @@ class ReferenceImpl<R extends Record, O extends Record> extends AbstractKey<R> i
         }
     }
 
-    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // XXX: Object API
-    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
     @Override
-    public String toString() {
-        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-        sb.append("FOREIGN KEY (");
-
-        String s1 = "";
-        for (Field<?> field : getFields()) {
-            sb.append(s1);
-            sb.append(DSL.name(field.getName()));
-
-            s1 = ", ";
-        }
-
-        sb.append(") REFERENCES ");
-        sb.append(key.getTable());
-        sb.append("(");
-
-        String s2 = "";
-        for (Field<?> field : key.getFields()) {
-            sb.append(s2);
-            sb.append(DSL.name(field.getName()));
-
-            s2 = ", ";
-        }
-
-        sb.append(")");
-        return sb.toString();
+    public Constraint constraint() {
+        return DSL.constraint(getName())
+                  .foreignKey(getFieldsArray())
+                  .references(key.getTable(), key.getFieldsArray());
     }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/UniqueKeyImpl.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/UniqueKeyImpl.java
index f4ca5de482..c629ea2ec3 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/UniqueKeyImpl.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/UniqueKeyImpl.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 
-import org.jooq.Field;
+import org.jooq.Constraint;
 import org.jooq.ForeignKey;
 import org.jooq.Record;
 import org.jooq.Table;
@@ -89,24 +89,11 @@ class UniqueKeyImpl<R extends Record> extends AbstractKey<R> implements UniqueKe
         return Collections.unmodifiableList(references);
     }
 
-    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // XXX: Object API
-    // -------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
     @Override
-    public String toString() {
-        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-        sb.append("UNIQUE KEY (");
-
-        String s1 = "";
-        for (Field<?> field : getFields()) {
-            sb.append(s1);
-            sb.append(field);
-
-            s1 = ", ";
-        }
-
-        sb.append(")");
-        return sb.toString();
+    public Constraint constraint() {
+        if (isPrimary())
+            return DSL.constraint(getName()).primaryKey(getFieldsArray());
+        else
+            return DSL.constraint(getName()).unique(getFieldsArray());
     }
 }