diff --git a/src/dbus_fast/constants.py b/src/dbus_fast/constants.py
index a705ce12..fe70b6e1 100644
--- a/src/dbus_fast/constants.py
+++ b/src/dbus_fast/constants.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class ArgDirection(Enum):
     OUT = "out"
 
 
-class ErrorType(Enum):
+class ErrorType(str, Enum):
     """An enum for the type of an error for a message reply.
 
     :seealso: http://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man3/sd-bus-errors.3.html
diff --git a/tests/test_constants.py b/tests/test_constants.py
index a0c3dfa2..679cfb83 100644
--- a/tests/test_constants.py
+++ b/tests/test_constants.py
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
-from dbus_fast.constants import MESSAGE_FLAG_MAP, MessageFlag
+from dbus_fast.constants import MESSAGE_FLAG_MAP, ErrorType, MessageFlag
+from dbus_fast.errors import DBusError
 
 
 def test_message_flag_map():
     assert 0 in MESSAGE_FLAG_MAP
     assert MessageFlag.NONE in MESSAGE_FLAG_MAP
+
+
+def test_error_type():
+    err = DBusError(ErrorType.FAILED, "")
+    assert ErrorType.FAILED == err.type