diff --git a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/BUILD.bazel b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/BUILD.bazel
index dceeb13d05..33ccdb0fcf 100644
--- a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/BUILD.bazel
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ go_library(
     name = "go_default_library",
     srcs = [
         "cmd.go",
+        "human.go",
         "issuer.go",
         "loader.go",
         "util.go",
diff --git a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/cmd.go b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/cmd.go
index dffd38d88b..c4e4143150 100644
--- a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/cmd.go
+++ b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/cmd.go
@@ -77,6 +77,23 @@ var genIssuerCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	},
 }
 
+var humanCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "human",
+	Short: "Display human readable issuer certificates and certificate chains",
+	Long: `
+	'human' parses the provided issuer certificate and certificate chain files
+	and displays them in a human readable format.
+`,
+	Args: cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		if err := runHuman(args); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return nil
+	},
+}
+
 func init() {
 	Cmd.AddCommand(genIssuerCmd)
+	Cmd.AddCommand(humanCmd)
 }
diff --git a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/human.go b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/human.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..96fb20e892
--- /dev/null
+++ b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/human.go
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+// Copyright 2019 Anapaya Systems
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package certs
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/scionproto/scion/go/lib/scrypto/cert/v2"
+	"github.com/scionproto/scion/go/lib/serrors"
+)
+
+func runHuman(files []string) error {
+	issuers, chains := MatchFiles(files)
+	for _, file := range issuers {
+		if err := genHumanIssuer(file); err != nil {
+			return serrors.WrapStr("unable to display issuer certificate", err, "file", file)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, file := range chains {
+		if err := genHumanChain(file); err != nil {
+			return serrors.WrapStr("unable to display certificate chain", err, "file", file)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func genHumanIssuer(file string) error {
+	raw, err := ioutil.ReadFile(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	signed, err := cert.ParseSignedIssuer(raw)
+	if err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to parse signed issuer certificate", err)
+	}
+	d, err := decodeIssuer(&signed)
+	if err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to decode issuer certificate", err)
+	}
+	if raw, err = json.MarshalIndent(d, "", "  "); err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to write human readable issuer certificate", err)
+	}
+	_, err = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stdout, string(raw))
+	return err
+}
+
+func genHumanChain(file string) error {
+	raw, err := ioutil.ReadFile(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	signed, err := cert.ParseChain(raw)
+	if err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to parse signed certificate chain", err)
+	}
+	humanReadable := make([]decodedCert, 2)
+	humanReadable[0], err = decodeIssuer(&signed.Issuer)
+	if err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to decode issuer certificate", err)
+	}
+	humanReadable[1], err = decodeAS(&signed.AS)
+	if err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to decode AS certificate", err)
+	}
+	if raw, err = json.MarshalIndent(humanReadable, "", "  "); err != nil {
+		return serrors.WrapStr("unable to write human readable certificate chain", err)
+	}
+	_, err = fmt.Fprintln(os.Stdout, string(raw))
+	return err
+}
+
+type decodedCert struct {
+	Payload   interface{} `json:"payload"`
+	Protected interface{} `json:"protected"`
+	Signature []byte      `json:"signature"`
+}
+
+func decodeAS(c *cert.SignedAS) (decodedCert, error) {
+	var err error
+	var d decodedCert
+	if d.Payload, err = c.Encoded.Decode(); err != nil {
+		return decodedCert{}, err
+	}
+	if d.Protected, err = c.EncodedProtected.Decode(); err != nil {
+		return decodedCert{}, err
+	}
+	d.Signature = c.Signature
+	return d, nil
+}
+
+func decodeIssuer(c *cert.SignedIssuer) (decodedCert, error) {
+	var err error
+	var d decodedCert
+	if d.Payload, err = c.Encoded.Decode(); err != nil {
+		return decodedCert{}, err
+	}
+	if d.Protected, err = c.EncodedProtected.Decode(); err != nil {
+		return decodedCert{}, err
+	}
+	d.Signature = c.Signature
+	return d, nil
+}
diff --git a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/util.go b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/util.go
index b66e48d84f..7189de1831 100644
--- a/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/util.go
+++ b/go/tools/scion-pki/internal/v2/certs/util.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package certs
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/scionproto/scion/go/lib/addr"
 	"github.com/scionproto/scion/go/lib/keyconf"
@@ -47,3 +48,25 @@ func translateKeys(keys map[cert.KeyType]keyconf.Key) map[cert.KeyType]scrypto.K
 	}
 	return m
 }
+
+// MatchFiles matches all issuer certificate and certificate chain file names.
+func MatchFiles(files []string) ([]string, []string) {
+	var issuers, chains []string
+	for _, file := range files {
+		_, name := filepath.Split(file)
+		switch {
+		case match(pkicmn.IssuerNameFmt, name):
+			issuers = append(issuers, file)
+		case match(pkicmn.CertNameFmt, name):
+			chains = append(chains, file)
+		default:
+			pkicmn.QuietPrint("Skipping non-certificate file: %s\n", file)
+		}
+	}
+	return issuers, chains
+}
+
+func match(fmtString, name string) bool {
+	matched, _ := filepath.Match(strings.NewReplacer("%d", "*", "%s", "*").Replace(fmtString), name)
+	return matched
+}