diff --git a/internal/backend/backend.go b/internal/backend/backend.go
index caac42cc6731..3bbb1b8e79b0 100644
--- a/internal/backend/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/backend.go
@@ -113,6 +113,10 @@ type Backend interface {
 	// States returns a list of the names of all of the workspaces that exist
 	// in this backend.
 	Workspaces() ([]string, error)
+
+	// String returns a valid string representation of the backend as it would
+	// appear in the Terraform configuration
+	String() string
 }
 
 // Enhanced implements additional behavior on top of a normal backend.
diff --git a/internal/backend/local/backend.go b/internal/backend/local/backend.go
index f5d07b20f039..bcfd164bbc72 100644
--- a/internal/backend/local/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/local/backend.go
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
+	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclwrite"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/backend"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/command/views"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/configs/configschema"
@@ -325,6 +327,16 @@ func (b *Local) Operation(ctx context.Context, op *backend.Operation) (*backend.
 	return runningOp, nil
 }
 
+func (b *Local) String() string {
+	f := hclwrite.NewFile()
+
+	body := f.Body().AppendNewBlock("backend", []string{"local"}).Body()
+	body.SetAttributeValue("path", cty.StringVal(b.StatePath))
+	body.SetAttributeValue("workspace_dir", cty.StringVal(b.StateWorkspaceDir))
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(f.Bytes()))
+}
+
 // opWait waits for the operation to complete, and a stop signal or a
 // cancelation signal.
 func (b *Local) opWait(
diff --git a/internal/backend/local/backend_local_test.go b/internal/backend/local/backend_local_test.go
index fae2b1ae0953..625d51251a78 100644
--- a/internal/backend/local/backend_local_test.go
+++ b/internal/backend/local/backend_local_test.go
@@ -193,6 +193,10 @@ func (b backendWithStateStorageThatFailsRefresh) Workspaces() ([]string, error)
 	return []string{"default"}, nil
 }
 
+func (b backendWithStateStorageThatFailsRefresh) String() string {
+	return ""
+}
+
 type stateStorageThatFailsRefresh struct {
 	locked bool
 }
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/artifactory/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/artifactory/backend.go
index bf2bfcf7e5ce..525e2c4b3377 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/artifactory/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/artifactory/backend.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "artifactory",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"username": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/azure/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/azure/backend.go
index 889b1f7f825b..eed9163d2c4e 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/azure/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/azure/backend.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 // New creates a new backend for Azure remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "azure",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"storage_account_name": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/consul/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/consul/backend.go
index 884696981350..a9fa0beb3a99 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/consul/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/consul/backend.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 // New creates a new backend for Consul remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "consul",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"path": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/cos/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/cos/backend.go
index 8d0d0145417e..959e3a2bb777 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/cos/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/cos/backend.go
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ type Backend struct {
 // New creates a new backend for TencentCloud cos remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "cos",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"secret_id": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv2/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv2/backend.go
index e6d3cf8ce98e..cf361ac69f21 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv2/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv2/backend.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "etcd",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"path": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
index 7285bda968f9..227660e6ea33 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/etcdv3/backend.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const (
 
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "etcdv3",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			endpointsKey: &schema.Schema{
 				Type: schema.TypeList,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/gcs/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/gcs/backend.go
index af2a667eb184..9236764e45c5 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/gcs/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/gcs/backend.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ type Backend struct {
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	b := &Backend{}
 	b.Backend = &schema.Backend{
+		Type:          "gcs",
 		ConfigureFunc: b.configure,
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"bucket": {
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/http/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/http/backend.go
index a3f98c05ac66..3709669c5343 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/http/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/http/backend.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "http",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"address": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
index 7f8f56ef2034..3cd72317d633 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/inmem/backend.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ func Reset() {
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	// Set the schema
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "inmem",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"lock_id": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/kubernetes/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/kubernetes/backend.go
index 907cda9e246e..041d5f6ca6c6 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/kubernetes/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/kubernetes/backend.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	noConfigError = `
 
-[Kubernetes backend] Neither service_account nor load_config_file were set to true, 
+[Kubernetes backend] Neither service_account nor load_config_file were set to true,
 this could cause issues connecting to your Kubernetes cluster.
 `
 )
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ var (
 // New creates a new backend for kubernetes remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "kubernetes",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"secret_suffix": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/manta/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/manta/backend.go
index 3a7a21bc5a6c..e03f117e8ec4 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/manta/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/manta/backend.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "manta",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"account": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/oss/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/oss/backend.go
index de08af37d68f..44f6f44b38a1 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/oss/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/oss/backend.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import (
 // New creates a new backend for OSS remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "oss",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"access_key": &schema.Schema{
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/pg/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/pg/backend.go
index cdcfb3a6e462..ce10dafb57bb 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/pg/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/pg/backend.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ const (
 // New creates a new backend for Postgres remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "pg",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"conn_str": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/s3/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/s3/backend.go
index 98aa1c561ef3..ba2775888659 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/s3/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/s3/backend.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 // New creates a new backend for S3 remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "s3",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"bucket": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote-state/swift/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote-state/swift/backend.go
index 6084131338c9..a2b2aa448a67 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote-state/swift/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote-state/swift/backend.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ type Config struct {
 // New creates a new backend for Swift remote state.
 func New() backend.Backend {
 	s := &schema.Backend{
+		Type: "swift",
 		Schema: map[string]*schema.Schema{
 			"auth_url": {
 				Type:        schema.TypeString,
diff --git a/internal/backend/remote/backend.go b/internal/backend/remote/backend.go
index b4aa115a798b..8a71f34f5f4f 100644
--- a/internal/backend/remote/backend.go
+++ b/internal/backend/remote/backend.go
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import (
 
 	tfe "github.com/hashicorp/go-tfe"
 	version "github.com/hashicorp/go-version"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclsyntax"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclwrite"
 	svchost "github.com/hashicorp/terraform-svchost"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform-svchost/disco"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/backend"
@@ -805,6 +807,25 @@ func (b *Remote) Operation(ctx context.Context, op *backend.Operation) (*backend
 	return runningOp, nil
 }
 
+func (b *Remote) String() string {
+	f := hclwrite.NewFile()
+
+	body := f.Body().AppendNewBlock("backend", []string{"remote"}).Body()
+	body.SetAttributeValue("hostname", cty.StringVal(b.hostname))
+	body.SetAttributeValue("organization", cty.StringVal(b.organization))
+	body.SetAttributeRaw("token", hclwrite.Tokens{&hclwrite.Token{
+		Type:  hclsyntax.TokenIdent,
+		Bytes: []byte("(sensitive)"),
+	}})
+	body.AppendNewline()
+
+	body = body.AppendNewBlock("workspaces", []string{}).Body()
+	body.SetAttributeValue("name", cty.StringVal(b.workspace))
+	body.SetAttributeValue("prefix", cty.StringVal(b.prefix))
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(f.Bytes()))
+}
+
 func (b *Remote) cancel(cancelCtx context.Context, op *backend.Operation, r *tfe.Run) error {
 	if r.Actions.IsCancelable {
 		// Only ask if the remote operation should be canceled
diff --git a/internal/builtin/providers/terraform/data_source_state_test.go b/internal/builtin/providers/terraform/data_source_state_test.go
index 1a9f514ecbbc..1e61aa72646b 100644
--- a/internal/builtin/providers/terraform/data_source_state_test.go
+++ b/internal/builtin/providers/terraform/data_source_state_test.go
@@ -369,3 +369,7 @@ func (b backendFailsConfigure) DeleteWorkspace(name string) error {
 func (b backendFailsConfigure) Workspaces() ([]string, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("Workspaces not implemented")
 }
+
+func (b backendFailsConfigure) String() string {
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/internal/command/meta_backend_migrate.go b/internal/command/meta_backend_migrate.go
index 0021b5850a53..783780502e75 100644
--- a/internal/command/meta_backend_migrate.go
+++ b/internal/command/meta_backend_migrate.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/command/arguments"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/command/clistate"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/command/views"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/logging"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/states"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/states/statemgr"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/terraform"
@@ -436,7 +437,8 @@ func (m *Meta) backendMigrateEmptyConfirm(one, two statemgr.Full, opts *backendM
 		Query: "Do you want to copy existing state to the new backend?",
 		Description: fmt.Sprintf(
 			strings.TrimSpace(inputBackendMigrateEmpty),
-			opts.OneType, opts.TwoType),
+			opts.OneType, opts.TwoType,
+			logging.Indent(opts.One.String()), logging.Indent(opts.Two.String())),
 	}
 
 	return m.confirm(inputOpts)
@@ -477,7 +479,8 @@ func (m *Meta) backendMigrateNonEmptyConfirm(
 		Query: "Do you want to copy existing state to the new backend?",
 		Description: fmt.Sprintf(
 			strings.TrimSpace(inputBackendMigrateNonEmpty),
-			opts.OneType, opts.TwoType, onePath, twoPath),
+			opts.OneType, opts.TwoType, onePath, twoPath,
+			logging.Indent(opts.One.String()), logging.Indent(opts.Two.String())),
 	}
 
 	// Confirm with the user that the copy should occur
@@ -520,7 +523,7 @@ This will attempt to copy (with permission) all workspaces again.
 `
 
 const errBackendStateCopy = `
-Error copying state from the previous %q backend to the newly configured 
+Error copying state from the previous %q backend to the newly configured
 %q backend:
     %s
 
@@ -531,7 +534,17 @@ the error above and try again.
 const inputBackendMigrateEmpty = `
 Pre-existing state was found while migrating the previous %q backend to the
 newly configured %q backend. No existing state was found in the newly
-configured %[2]q backend. Do you want to copy this state to the new %[2]q
+configured %[2]q backend.
+
+The configuration for the previous %[1]q backend was:
+
+%[3]s
+
+The configuration for the new %[2]q backend is:
+
+%[4]s
+
+Do you want to copy this state to the new %[2]q
 backend? Enter "yes" to copy and "no" to start with an empty state.
 `
 
@@ -544,6 +557,14 @@ removed after responding to this query.
 Previous (type %[1]q): %[3]s
 New      (type %[2]q): %[4]s
 
+The configuration for the previous %[1]q backend was:
+
+%[5]s
+
+The configuration for the new %[2]q backend is:
+
+%[6]s
+
 Do you want to overwrite the state in the new backend with the previous state?
 Enter "yes" to copy and "no" to start with the existing state in the newly
 configured %[2]q backend.
@@ -574,7 +595,7 @@ If you answer "yes", Terraform will migrate all states. If you answer
 
 const inputBackendNewWorkspaceName = `
 Please provide a new workspace name (e.g. dev, test) that will be used
-to migrate the existing default workspace. 
+to migrate the existing default workspace.
 `
 
 const inputBackendSelectWorkspace = `
diff --git a/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend.go b/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend.go
index 7bd9426abea0..83f4fc932133 100644
--- a/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend.go
+++ b/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend.go
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ package schema
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclsyntax"
+	"github.com/hashicorp/hcl/v2/hclwrite"
 	"github.com/hashicorp/terraform/internal/tfdiags"
 	"github.com/zclconf/go-cty/cty"
 
@@ -32,6 +36,8 @@ type Backend struct {
 	// config will still be stored.
 	ConfigureFunc func(context.Context) error
 
+	Type string
+
 	config *ResourceData
 }
 
@@ -198,3 +204,35 @@ func (b *Backend) shimConfig(obj cty.Value) *terraform.ResourceConfig {
 func (b *Backend) Config() *ResourceData {
 	return b.config
 }
+
+func (b *Backend) String() string {
+	// At the moment all backends only have attributes so we can skip blocks
+	f := hclwrite.NewFile()
+
+	var names []string
+	for name := range b.Schema {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(names)
+
+	body := f.Body().AppendNewBlock("backend", []string{b.Type}).Body()
+	for _, name := range names {
+		sch := b.Schema[name]
+		switch sch.Type {
+		case TypeBool:
+			body.SetAttributeValue(name, cty.BoolVal(b.config.Get(name).(bool)))
+		case TypeInt:
+			body.SetAttributeValue(name, cty.NumberIntVal(int64(b.config.Get(name).(int))))
+		case TypeString:
+			body.SetAttributeValue(name, cty.StringVal(b.config.Get(name).(string)))
+		default:
+			body.SetAttributeRaw(name, hclwrite.Tokens{&hclwrite.Token{
+				Type:  hclsyntax.TokenIdent,
+				Bytes: []byte("(unsupported type)"),
+			}})
+
+		}
+	}
+
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(f.Bytes()))
+}
diff --git a/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend_test.go b/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend_test.go
index 8b0336fe0e63..62c5599e0b35 100644
--- a/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend_test.go
+++ b/internal/legacy/helper/schema/backend_test.go
@@ -155,10 +155,12 @@ func TestBackendConfigure(t *testing.T) {
 		B      *Backend
 		Config map[string]cty.Value
 		Err    bool
+		String string
 	}{
 		{
 			"Basic config",
 			&Backend{
+				Type: "test",
 				Schema: map[string]*Schema{
 					"foo": &Schema{
 						Type:     TypeInt,
@@ -179,6 +181,9 @@ func TestBackendConfigure(t *testing.T) {
 				"foo": cty.NumberIntVal(42),
 			},
 			false,
+			`backend "test" {
+  foo = 42
+}`,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -188,6 +193,9 @@ func TestBackendConfigure(t *testing.T) {
 			if diags.HasErrors() != tc.Err {
 				t.Errorf("wrong number of diagnostics")
 			}
+			if tc.B.String() != tc.String {
+				t.Error(tc.B.String())
+			}
 		})
 	}
 }