diff --git a/tools/dissect/ndn-dissect.cpp b/tools/dissect/ndn-dissect.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c9d8ece
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/dissect/ndn-dissect.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2014 Regents of the University of California.
+ *
+ * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+ * WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
+ * PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License along with ndn-cxx, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of ndn-cxx authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * @author Alexander Afanasyev <http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/afanasyev/index.html>
+ */
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/face.hpp>
+#include <ndn-cxx/encoding/block.hpp>
+
+#include <iomanip>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <map>
+
+namespace ndn {
+
+std::map<uint32_t, std::string> TLV_DICT = {
+  {tlv::Interest                     , "Interest"},
+  {tlv::Data                         , "Data"},
+  {tlv::Name                         , "Name"},
+  {tlv::NameComponent                , "NameComponent"},
+  {tlv::ImplicitSha256DigestComponent, "ImplicitSha256DigestComponent"},
+  {tlv::Selectors                    , "Selectors"},
+  {tlv::Nonce                        , "Nonce"},
+  {tlv::InterestLifetime             , "InterestLifetime"},
+  {tlv::MinSuffixComponents          , "MinSuffixComponents"},
+  {tlv::MaxSuffixComponents          , "MaxSuffixComponents"},
+  {tlv::PublisherPublicKeyLocator    , "PublisherPublicKeyLocator"},
+  {tlv::Exclude                      , "Exclude"},
+  {tlv::ChildSelector                , "ChildSelector"},
+  {tlv::MustBeFresh                  , "MustBeFresh"},
+  {tlv::Any                          , "Any"},
+  {tlv::MetaInfo                     , "MetaInfo"},
+  {tlv::Content                      , "Content"},
+  {tlv::SignatureInfo                , "SignatureInfo"},
+  {tlv::SignatureValue               , "SignatureValue"},
+  {tlv::ContentType                  , "ContentType"},
+  {tlv::FreshnessPeriod              , "FreshnessPeriod"},
+  {tlv::FinalBlockId                 , "FinalBlockId"},
+  {tlv::SignatureType                , "SignatureType"},
+  {tlv::KeyLocator                   , "KeyLocator"},
+  {tlv::KeyDigest                    , "KeyDigest"},
+};
+
+void
+printTypeInfo(uint32_t type)
+{
+  std::cout << type << " (";
+
+  if (TLV_DICT.count(type) != 0) {
+    std::cout << TLV_DICT[type];
+  }
+  else if (type < tlv::AppPrivateBlock1) {
+    std::cout << "RESERVED_1";
+  }
+  else if (tlv::AppPrivateBlock1 <= type && type < 253) {
+    std::cout << "APP_TAG_1";
+  }
+  else if (253 <= type && type < tlv::AppPrivateBlock2) {
+    std::cout << "RESERVED_3";
+  }
+  else {
+    std::cout << "APP_TAG_3";
+  }
+  std::cout << ")";
+}
+
+
+void
+BlockPrinter(const Block& block, const std::string& indent = "")
+{
+  std::cout << indent;
+  printTypeInfo(block.type());
+  std::cout << " (size: " << block.value_size() << ")";
+
+  try {
+    // if (block.type() != tlv::Content && block.type() != tlv::SignatureValue)
+    block.parse();
+  }
+  catch (tlv::Error& e) {
+    // pass (e.g., leaf block reached)
+
+    // @todo: Figure how to deterministically figure out that value is not recursive TLV block
+  }
+
+  if (block.elements().empty())
+    {
+      std::cout << " [[";
+      name::Component(block.value(), block.value_size()).toUri(std::cout);
+      std::cout<< "]]";
+    }
+  std::cout << std::endl;
+
+  for (Block::element_const_iterator i = block.elements_begin();
+       i != block.elements_end();
+       ++i)
+    {
+      BlockPrinter(*i, indent+"  ");
+    }
+}
+
+void
+HexPrinter(const Block& block, const std::string& indent = "")
+{
+  std::cout << indent;
+  for (Buffer::const_iterator i = block.begin (); i != block.value_begin(); ++i)
+    {
+      std::cout << "0x";
+      std::cout << std::noshowbase << std::hex << std::setw(2) <<
+        std::setfill('0') << static_cast<int>(*i);
+      std::cout << ", ";
+    }
+  std::cout << "\n";
+
+  if (block.elements_size() == 0 && block.value_size() > 0)
+    {
+      std::cout << indent << "    ";
+      for (Buffer::const_iterator i = block.value_begin (); i != block.value_end(); ++i)
+      {
+        std::cout << "0x";
+        std::cout << std::noshowbase << std::hex << std::setw(2) <<
+          std::setfill('0') << static_cast<int>(*i);
+        std::cout << ", ";
+      }
+      std::cout << "\n";
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      for (Block::element_const_iterator i = block.elements_begin();
+           i != block.elements_end();
+           ++i)
+        {
+          HexPrinter(*i, indent+"    ");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void
+parseBlocksFromStream(std::istream& is)
+{
+  while (is.peek() != std::char_traits<char>::eof()) {
+    try {
+      Block block = Block::fromStream(is);
+      BlockPrinter(block, "");
+      // HexPrinter(block, "");
+    }
+    catch (std::exception& e) {
+      std::cerr << "ERROR: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+    }
+  }
+
+}
+
+} // namespace ndn
+
+int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
+{
+  if (argc == 1 ||
+      (argc == 2 && std::string(argv[1]) == "-"))
+    {
+      ndn::parseBlocksFromStream(std::cin);
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      std::ifstream file(argv[1]);
+      ndn::parseBlocksFromStream(file);
+    }
+
+  return 0;
+}