diff --git a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
index 35bfea80a..3f5ec0de3 100644
--- a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
@@ -1490,6 +1490,23 @@ const char *Ip6::IpProtoToString(uint8_t aIpProto)
     return Stringify::Lookup(aIpProto, kIpProtoTable, "Unknown");
 }
 
+const char *Ip6::EcnToString(Ecn aEcn)
+{
+    static const char *const kEcnStrings[] = {
+        "no", // (0) kEcnNotCapable
+        "e1", // (1) kEcnCapable1  (ECT1)
+        "e0", // (2) kEcnCapable0  (ECT0)
+        "ce", // (3) kEcnMarked    (Congestion Encountered)
+    };
+
+    static_assert(0 == kEcnNotCapable, "kEcnNotCapable value is incorrect");
+    static_assert(1 == kEcnCapable1, "kEcnCapable1 value is incorrect");
+    static_assert(2 == kEcnCapable0, "kEcnCapable0 value is incorrect");
+    static_assert(3 == kEcnMarked, "kEcnMarked value is incorrect");
+
+    return kEcnStrings[aEcn];
+}
+
 // LCOV_EXCL_STOP
 
 } // namespace Ip6
diff --git a/src/core/net/ip6.hpp b/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
index 950460922..0855e1327 100644
--- a/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
+++ b/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 
 #include "common/encoding.hpp"
 #include "common/locator.hpp"
+#include "common/log.hpp"
 #include "common/message.hpp"
 #include "common/non_copyable.hpp"
 #include "common/time_ticker.hpp"
@@ -297,6 +298,16 @@ public:
      */
     static const char *IpProtoToString(uint8_t aIpProto);
 
+    /**
+     * This static method converts an IP header ECN value to a string.
+     *
+     * @param[in] aEcn   The 2-bit ECN value.
+     *
+     * @returns The string representation of @p aEcn.
+     *
+     */
+    static const char *EcnToString(Ecn aEcn);
+
 private:
     static constexpr uint8_t kDefaultHopLimit      = OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_IP6_HOP_LIMIT_DEFAULT;
     static constexpr uint8_t kIp6ReassemblyTimeout = OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_IP6_REASSEMBLY_TIMEOUT;
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index efc36516e..4567afdbb 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -1786,9 +1786,9 @@ void MeshForwarder::LogIp6Message(MessageAction       aAction,
     radioString    = aMessage.IsRadioTypeSet() ? RadioTypeToString(aMessage.GetRadioType()) : "all";
 #endif
 
-    LogAt(aLogLevel, "%s IPv6 %s msg, len:%d, chksum:%04x%s%s, sec:%s%s%s, prio:%s%s%s%s%s",
+    LogAt(aLogLevel, "%s IPv6 %s msg, len:%d, chksum:%04x, ecn:%s%s%s, sec:%s%s%s, prio:%s%s%s%s%s",
           MessageActionToString(aAction, aError), Ip6::Ip6::IpProtoToString(ip6Header.GetNextHeader()),
-          aMessage.GetLength(), checksum,
+          aMessage.GetLength(), checksum, Ip6::Ip6::EcnToString(ip6Header.GetEcn()),
           (aMacAddress == nullptr) ? "" : ((aAction == kMessageReceive) ? ", from:" : ", to:"),
           (aMacAddress == nullptr) ? "" : aMacAddress->ToString().AsCString(),
           ToYesNo(aMessage.IsLinkSecurityEnabled()),
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
index fb3df525e..dcc25e90a 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
@@ -1162,8 +1162,9 @@ void MeshForwarder::LogMeshIpHeader(const Message &     aMessage,
     SuccessOrExit(DecompressIp6UdpTcpHeader(aMessage, aOffset, aMeshSource, aMeshDest, ip6Header, checksum, sourcePort,
                                             destPort));
 
-    LogAt(aLogLevel, "    IPv6 %s msg, chksum:%04x, prio:%s", Ip6::Ip6::IpProtoToString(ip6Header.GetNextHeader()),
-          checksum, MessagePriorityToString(aMessage));
+    LogAt(aLogLevel, "    IPv6 %s msg, chksum:%04x, ecn:%s, prio:%s",
+          Ip6::Ip6::IpProtoToString(ip6Header.GetNextHeader()), checksum, Ip6::Ip6::EcnToString(ip6Header.GetEcn()),
+          MessagePriorityToString(aMessage));
 
     LogIp6SourceDestAddresses(ip6Header, sourcePort, destPort, aLogLevel);