diff --git a/src/diagnostic.cc b/src/diagnostic.cc
index 967501b..a85e78a 100644
--- a/src/diagnostic.cc
+++ b/src/diagnostic.cc
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@
 #include "utility.h"
 
 clangmm::Diagnostic::Diagnostic(CXTranslationUnit& cx_tu, CXDiagnostic& cx_diagnostic) {
-  severity=clang_getDiagnosticSeverity(cx_diagnostic);
-  severity_spelling=get_severity_spelling(severity);
+  severity=static_cast<Severity>(clang_getDiagnosticSeverity(cx_diagnostic));
   spelling=to_string(clang_getDiagnosticSpelling(cx_diagnostic));
   
   SourceLocation location(clang_getDiagnosticLocation(cx_diagnostic));
@@ -23,20 +22,3 @@ clangmm::Diagnostic::Diagnostic(CXTranslationUnit& cx_tu, CXDiagnostic& cx_diagn
     fix_its.emplace_back(source, SourceRange(fix_it_range).get_offsets());
   }
 }
-
-const std::string clangmm::Diagnostic::get_severity_spelling(unsigned severity) {
-  switch(severity) {
-    case CXDiagnostic_Ignored:
-      return "Ignored";
-    case CXDiagnostic_Note:
-      return "Note";
-    case CXDiagnostic_Warning:
-      return "Warning";
-    case CXDiagnostic_Error:
-      return "Error";
-    case CXDiagnostic_Fatal:
-      return "Fatal";
-    default:
-      return "";
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/diagnostic.h b/src/diagnostic.h
index 542c886..5d7dadd 100644
--- a/src/diagnostic.h
+++ b/src/diagnostic.h
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ namespace clangmm {
     friend class TranslationUnit;
     Diagnostic(CXTranslationUnit& cx_tu, CXDiagnostic& cx_diagnostic);
   public:
+    enum class Severity {
+      Ignored = 0,
+      Note,
+      Warning,
+      Error,
+      Fatal
+    };
+    
     class FixIt {
     public:
       FixIt(const std::string &source, const std::pair<clangmm::Offset, clangmm::Offset> &offsets):
@@ -17,11 +25,8 @@ namespace clangmm {
       std::string source;
       std::pair<clangmm::Offset, clangmm::Offset> offsets;
     };
-    
-    static const std::string get_severity_spelling(unsigned severity);
 
-    unsigned severity;
-    std::string severity_spelling;
+    Severity severity;
     std::string spelling;
     std::string path;
     std::pair<clangmm::Offset, clangmm::Offset> offsets;
diff --git a/tests/diagnostics_test.cc b/tests/diagnostics_test.cc
index a7e72d7..d73f7c4 100644
--- a/tests/diagnostics_test.cc
+++ b/tests/diagnostics_test.cc
@@ -27,5 +27,5 @@ int main() {
   auto diagnostics=tu.get_diagnostics();
   assert(diagnostics.size()>0);
   assert(!diagnostics[0].spelling.empty());
-  assert(diagnostics[0].severity==3);
+  assert(diagnostics[0].severity==clangmm::Diagnostic::Severity::Error);
 }