diff --git a/dfvfs/lib/definitions.py b/dfvfs/lib/definitions.py
index 5501416b..f173d243 100644
--- a/dfvfs/lib/definitions.py
+++ b/dfvfs/lib/definitions.py
@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@
 ATTRIBUTE_TYPE_NTFS_STANDARD_INFORMATION = 'NTFS:$STANDARD_INFORMATION'
 
 # The file entry types.
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_DEVICE = 1
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_DIRECTORY = 2
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_FILE = 3
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_LINK = 4
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_SOCKET = 5
-FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_PIPE = 6
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_DEVICE = 'device'
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_DIRECTORY = 'directory'
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_FILE = 'file'
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_LINK = 'link'
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_SOCKET = 'socket'
+FILE_ENTRY_TYPE_PIPE = 'pipe'
 
 # The format category definitions.
 FORMAT_CATEGORY_UNDEFINED = 0
diff --git a/dfvfs/vfs/file_entry.py b/dfvfs/vfs/file_entry.py
index 64fd3f4c..e154b942 100644
--- a/dfvfs/vfs/file_entry.py
+++ b/dfvfs/vfs/file_entry.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class FileEntry(object):
 
   Attributes:
     path_spec (PathSpec): path specification.
-    type (int): file entry type or None if not available.
+    type (str): file entry type or None if not available.
   """
 
   def __init__(