diff --git a/rational.cpp b/rational.cpp
index 433ff432..2da4eeaa 100644
--- a/rational.cpp
+++ b/rational.cpp
@@ -162,8 +162,20 @@ rational<T>::operator/ (const T rhs) const
 }
 
 
-//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-template struct util::rational<uint32_t>;
-template struct util::rational< int32_t>;
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+template <typename ValueT>
+std::ostream&
+util::operator<< (std::ostream &os, util::rational<ValueT> val)
+{
+    return os << val.n << "/" << val.d;
+}
 
-template util::rational<uint32_t> util::operator/ (uint32_t, util::rational<uint32_t>);
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+#define INSTANTIATE(TYPE) \
+template struct util::rational<TYPE>; \
+template util::rational<TYPE> util::operator/ (TYPE, util::rational<TYPE>); \
+template std::ostream& util::operator<< (std::ostream&, util::rational<TYPE>);
+
+INSTANTIATE(uint32_t)
+INSTANTIATE(int32_t)
diff --git a/rational.hpp b/rational.hpp
index 04758506..4acfa288 100644
--- a/rational.hpp
+++ b/rational.hpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #define __UTIL_RATIONAL_HPP
 
 #include <type_traits>
+#include <iosfwd>
 
 namespace util {
     template <typename T>
@@ -68,6 +69,11 @@ namespace util {
     {
         return rhs * lhs;
     }
+
+
+    ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+    template <typename ValueT>
+    std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream&, rational<ValueT>);
 };