diff --git a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/basicClient/actionParameters.hpp b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/basicClient/actionParameters.hpp
index 4f359495a815ba287fd8dd5e709aac6a63da3a91..d1f508260b564d8cb8be08b9304aa18c8f78c9d8 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/basicClient/actionParameters.hpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/basicClient/actionParameters.hpp
@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@ namespace crosbot_explore {
 class ExploreMode {
 public:
     enum {
-        MODE_STOP = 0,
-        MODE_RESUME = 1,
-        MODE_LEFT_WALL = 2,
+        MODE_STOP       = 0,
+        MODE_RESUME     = 1,
+        MODE_LEFT_WALL  = 2,
         MODE_RIGHT_WALL = 3,
-        MODE_WAYPOINT = 4
+        MODE_WAYPOINT   = 4
     };
 };
 
@@ -30,12 +30,17 @@ public:
  * Common exploration status feedback for crosbot explorer - placed in header files to allow extensible status messages
  * which cannot be achieved through the explore.action class
  */
-class ExploreStatus {
+class ExplorerStatus {
 public:
-    static const std::string STATUS_ARRIVED;
-    static const std::string STATUS_BLOCKED;
-    static const std::string STATUS_PAUSED;
-    static const std::string STATUS_RUNNNING;
+    enum Status {
+        STATUS_PAUSED   = 0,
+        STATUS_RUNNING  = 1,
+        STATUS_ARRIVED  = 2,
+        STATUS_BLOCKED  = 3
+    };
+
+    static crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status statusFromInt(int status);
+    static std::string statusToString(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status);
 };
 
 } // namespace crosbot_explore
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorer.hpp b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorer.hpp
index 679c85c8b0bc391f627ea2a1378652f25b14db56..997cf81be688d54360ab92cf21554e1310a13d0c 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorer.hpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorer.hpp
@@ -147,15 +147,10 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void pause();
 	virtual void resume();
-	virtual void statusChanged(const std::string& status) {}
 
-protected:
 
-	// StatusChanged strings
-	std::string STATUS_ARRIVED;
-	std::string STATUS_BLOCKED;
-	std::string STATUS_RUNNING;
-	std::string STATUS_PAUSED;
+	virtual void statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status) {}
+
 };
 
 } // namespace crosbot
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorerROS.hpp b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorerROS.hpp
index 9223fefff93dd6a4eb18ab493787c42a688cc429..045e8323ce6d4ab3248ea5e4efc3c2200dcbf5d0 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorerROS.hpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/include/crosbot_explore/explorerROS.hpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public:
     virtual Pose findDriveTarget(const VoronoiGrid& voronoi, const Pose& robot);
     virtual bool stopMotors();
     virtual void driveTo(const Pose& relativePosition);
-    virtual void statusChanged(const std::string& status);
+    virtual void statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status);
 
     // ROS callbacks
     void callbackOccGrid(const nav_msgs::OccupancyGridConstPtr& latestMap);
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/msg/ExplorerFeedback.msg b/crosbot_explore/msg/ExplorerFeedback.msg
index 6d90d77481586d9460a55a83e7a21ce6673e3fa0..54b937982c5b26f1a765ac236aa1394139163aa0 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/msg/ExplorerFeedback.msg
+++ b/crosbot_explore/msg/ExplorerFeedback.msg
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 # Corresponding Action id
 int32 id
 
+# Status (as listed in crosbot_explore/explorer.hpp)
+int32   STATUS_PAUSED   = 0
+int32   STATUS_RUNNING  = 1
+int32   STATUS_ARRIVED  = 2
+int32   STATUS_BLOCKED  = 3
+int32 status
+
 # Keep updated on continuing state of exploration
 # Search strategy uses mode numbers
-string status
 bool   operating
 int32  searchStrategy
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/actionParameters.cpp b/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/actionParameters.cpp
index 04f1c8ba97720e48e236b4b7f55ed02626402503..b23733e1bd606eb48f5232532e5c2c9ee2c8ec13 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/actionParameters.cpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/actionParameters.cpp
@@ -9,9 +9,22 @@
 
 namespace crosbot_explore {
 
-const std::string ExploreStatus::STATUS_ARRIVED   = "Arrived";
-const std::string ExploreStatus::STATUS_BLOCKED   = "Blocked";
-const std::string ExploreStatus::STATUS_PAUSED    = "Paused";
-const std::string ExploreStatus::STATUS_RUNNNING  = "Running";
+crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status ExplorerStatus::statusFromInt(int status) {
+    return static_cast<crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status>(status);
+}
+
+std::string ExplorerStatus::statusToString(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status) {
+    std::string statusStr = "";
+    if (status == crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_ARRIVED) {
+        statusStr = "Arrived";
+    } else if (status == crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_BLOCKED) {
+        statusStr = "Blocked";
+    } else if (status == crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_PAUSED) {
+        statusStr = "Paused";
+    } else if (status == crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_RUNNING) {
+        statusStr = "Running";
+    }
+    return statusStr;
+}
 
 } // namespace crosbot_explore
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/basicClient.cpp b/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/basicClient.cpp
index 3a5985ca5bd75471e4cdb4db04eefc8645d18896..6d28bc423bf90bbb37c061360da080f4e80f2266 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/basicClient.cpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/src/basicClient/basicClient.cpp
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ void BasicExplorerClient::callback_explorerFeedback(const crosbot_explore::Explo
         searchStrategy = "waypoint";
     }
 
-    STATUS_INFO(crosbotStatus, "Explorer feedback: %s (%s)", feedback->status.c_str(), searchStrategy.c_str());
+    crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status = crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::statusFromInt(feedback->status);
+    STATUS_INFO(crosbotStatus, "Explorer feedback: %s (%s)", ExplorerStatus::statusToString(status).c_str(), searchStrategy.c_str());
 }
 
 crosbot::Pose3D BasicExplorerClient::getCommandPoint(const crosbot_msgs::ControlCommandPtr command) {
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/src/explorer.cpp b/crosbot_explore/src/explorer.cpp
index fcd98be5ccc696ced4cd049319ef999648078d13..b39ecb1bfac11294779d0981ba1a29d77c5fa9be 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/src/explorer.cpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/src/explorer.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ void Explorer::shutdown() {
 
 void Explorer::pause() {
     paused = true;
-    statusChanged(STATUS_PAUSED);
+    statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_PAUSED);
     hysteresis.reset();
 }
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ void Explorer::resume() {
 
     paused = false;
     stopSent = false;
-    statusChanged(STATUS_RUNNING);
+    statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_RUNNING);
 }
 
 Pose Explorer::findDriveTarget(const VoronoiGrid& voronoi, const Pose& robot) {
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ Pose Explorer::findWaypointTarget(const VoronoiGrid& voronoi, const Pose& robot)
                         searchParams.atDestination = true;
                         searchParams.rotateToPose = false;
                         ROS_INFO("Explorer: Arrived at destination (%.2lf, %.2lf, %.2lf)", destination.x, destination.y, destination.z);
-                        statusChanged(STATUS_ARRIVED);
+                        statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_ARRIVED);
                     }
                     searchParams.waypoint = Pose(INFINITY, INFINITY, INFINITY);
                     driveToTarget = Pose(INFINITY, INFINITY, INFINITY);
@@ -840,7 +840,7 @@ Pose Explorer::findWaypointTarget(const VoronoiGrid& voronoi, const Pose& robot)
                             searchParams.waypoint.position.x, searchParams.waypoint.position.y, searchParams.waypoint.position.z);
                 }
                 searchParams.pathBlocked = true;
-                statusChanged(STATUS_BLOCKED);
+                statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status::STATUS_BLOCKED);
                 driveToTarget = Pose(INFINITY, INFINITY, INFINITY);
             }
         }
diff --git a/crosbot_explore/src/explorerROS.cpp b/crosbot_explore/src/explorerROS.cpp
index 603081d5e28eb36db6c08ad0d55f17080bc80048..5324b68a6b19787ae2f6573c7dc272f0c6c6207d 100644
--- a/crosbot_explore/src/explorerROS.cpp
+++ b/crosbot_explore/src/explorerROS.cpp
@@ -29,10 +29,6 @@ ExplorerROSNode::ExplorerROSNode() :
     currentGoalId(-1),
     latestPose(Pose(INFINITY, INFINITY, INFINITY))
 {
-    STATUS_ARRIVED = crosbot_explore::ExploreStatus::STATUS_ARRIVED;
-    STATUS_BLOCKED = crosbot_explore::ExploreStatus::STATUS_BLOCKED;
-    STATUS_RUNNING = crosbot_explore::ExploreStatus::STATUS_RUNNNING;
-    STATUS_PAUSED = crosbot_explore::ExploreStatus::STATUS_PAUSED;
 }
 
 ExplorerROSNode::~ExplorerROSNode() {
@@ -514,7 +510,7 @@ void ExplorerROSNode::publishReconfig(VoronoiGrid::Constraints& constraints) {
     reconfig_server->updateConfig(config);
 }
 
-void ExplorerROSNode::statusChanged(const std::string& status) {
+void ExplorerROSNode::statusChanged(crosbot_explore::ExplorerStatus::Status status) {
     crosbot_explore::ExplorerFeedback feedback;
     feedback.id = currentGoalId;
     feedback.status = status;