diff --git a/src/dbus.c b/src/dbus.c
index 2688efa..634355c 100644
--- a/src/dbus.c
+++ b/src/dbus.c
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ static void on_close_notification(GDBusConnection *connection,
 {
         guint32 id;
         g_variant_get(parameters, "(u)", &id);
-        queues_notification_close_id(id, 3);
+        queues_notification_close_id(id, REASON_SIG);
         wake_up();
         g_dbus_method_invocation_return_value(invocation, NULL);
         g_dbus_connection_flush(connection, NULL, NULL, NULL);
@@ -322,8 +322,14 @@ static void on_get_server_information(GDBusConnection *connection,
         g_dbus_connection_flush(connection, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
-void notification_closed(notification *n, int reason)
+void notification_closed(notification *n, enum reason reason)
 {
+        if (reason < REASON_MIN || REASON_MAX < reason) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Closing notification with reason '%d' not supported. "
+                                "Closing it with reason '%d'.\n", reason, REASON_UNDEF);
+                reason = REASON_UNDEF;
+        }
+
         if (!dbus_conn) {
                 fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Tried to close notification but dbus connection not set!\n");
                 return;
diff --git a/src/dbus.h b/src/dbus.h
index 2d231e0..51fd323 100644
--- a/src/dbus.h
+++ b/src/dbus.h
@@ -5,10 +5,19 @@
 
 #include "notification.h"
 
+enum reason {
+        REASON_MIN = 1,
+        REASON_TIME = 1,
+        REASON_USER = 2,
+        REASON_SIG = 3,
+        REASON_UNDEF = 4,
+        REASON_MAX = 4,
+};
+
 int initdbus(void);
 void dbus_tear_down(int id);
 /* void dbus_poll(int timeout); */
-void notification_closed(notification *n, int reason);
+void notification_closed(notification *n, enum reason reason);
 void action_invoked(notification *n, const char *identifier);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/dunst.c b/src/dunst.c
index 80a1400..0a2b495 100644
--- a/src/dunst.c
+++ b/src/dunst.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ int dunst_main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 n->progress = -1;
                 n->timeout = 10 * G_USEC_PER_SEC;
                 n->markup = MARKUP_NO;
-                n->urgency = LOW;
+                n->urgency = URG_LOW;
                 notification_init(n);
                 queues_notification_insert(n, 0);
                 // we do not call wakeup now, wake_up does not work here yet
diff --git a/src/notification.c b/src/notification.c
index 68c025d..ad6beea 100644
--- a/src/notification.c
+++ b/src/notification.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ void notification_print(notification *n)
         printf("\traw_icon set: %s\n", (n->raw_icon ? "true" : "false"));
         printf("\tcategory: %s\n", n->category);
         printf("\ttimeout: %ld\n", n->timeout/1000);
-        printf("\turgency: %d\n", n->urgency);
+        printf("\turgency: %s\n", notification_urgency_to_string(n->urgency));
         printf("\ttransient: %d\n", n->transient);
         printf("\tformatted: '%s'\n", n->msg);
         printf("\tfg: %s\n", n->color_strings[ColFG]);
@@ -80,21 +80,7 @@ void notification_run_script(notification *n)
         char *body = n->body ? n->body : "";
         char *icon = n->icon ? n->icon : "";
 
-        char *urgency;
-        switch (n->urgency) {
-        case LOW:
-                urgency = "LOW";
-                break;
-        case NORM:
-                urgency = "NORMAL";
-                break;
-        case CRIT:
-                urgency = "CRITICAL";
-                break;
-        default:
-                urgency = "NORMAL";
-                break;
-        }
+        const char *urgency = notification_urgency_to_string(n->urgency);
 
         int pid1 = fork();
 
@@ -121,6 +107,25 @@ void notification_run_script(notification *n)
         }
 }
 
+/*
+ * Helper function to convert an urgency to a string
+ */
+const char *notification_urgency_to_string(enum urgency urgency)
+{
+        switch (urgency) {
+        case URG_NONE:
+                return "NONE";
+        case URG_LOW:
+                return "LOW";
+        case URG_NORM:
+                return "NORMAL";
+        case URG_CRIT:
+                return "CRITICAL";
+        default:
+                return "UNDEF";
+        }
+}
+
 /*
  * Helper function to compare to given
  * notifications.
@@ -432,8 +437,11 @@ void notification_init(notification *n)
 
         n->dup_count = 0;
 
-        /* urgency > CRIT -> array out of range */
-        n->urgency = n->urgency > CRIT ? CRIT : n->urgency;
+        /* urgency > URG_CRIT -> array out of range */
+        if (n->urgency < URG_MIN)
+                n->urgency = URG_LOW;
+        if (n->urgency > URG_MAX)
+                n->urgency = URG_CRIT;
 
         if (!n->color_strings[ColFG]) {
                 n->color_strings[ColFG] = xctx.color_strings[ColFG][n->urgency];
diff --git a/src/notification.h b/src/notification.h
index d5b0ae9..29b6c6c 100644
--- a/src/notification.h
+++ b/src/notification.h
@@ -7,12 +7,17 @@
 
 #include "settings.h"
 
-#define LOW 0
-#define NORM 1
-#define CRIT 2
-
 #define DUNST_NOTIF_MAX_CHARS 5000
 
+enum urgency {
+        URG_NONE = -1,
+        URG_MIN = 0,
+        URG_LOW = 0,
+        URG_NORM = 1,
+        URG_CRIT = 2,
+        URG_MAX = 2,
+};
+
 typedef struct _raw_image {
         int width;
         int height;
@@ -43,7 +48,7 @@ typedef struct _notification {
         gint64 start;
         gint64 timestamp;
         gint64 timeout;
-        int urgency;
+        enum urgency urgency;
         enum markup_mode markup;
         bool redisplayed;       /* has been displayed before? */
         int id;
@@ -74,5 +79,6 @@ void notification_replace_single_field(char **haystack, char **needle, const cha
 void notification_update_text_to_render(notification *n);
 void notification_do_action(notification *n);
 
+const char *notification_urgency_to_string(enum urgency urgency);
 #endif
 /* vim: set tabstop=8 shiftwidth=8 expandtab textwidth=0: */
diff --git a/src/queues.c b/src/queues.c
index 5185f1a..997ab5a 100644
--- a/src/queues.c
+++ b/src/queues.c
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include "dbus.h"
 #include "notification.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 
@@ -179,7 +178,7 @@ bool queues_notification_replace_id(notification *new)
         return false;
 }
 
-int queues_notification_close_id(int id, int reason)
+int queues_notification_close_id(int id, enum reason reason)
 {
         notification *target = NULL;
 
@@ -205,17 +204,14 @@ int queues_notification_close_id(int id, int reason)
         }
 
         if (target) {
-
-                if (reason > 0 && reason < 4)
-                        notification_closed(target, reason);
-
+                notification_closed(target, reason);
                 queues_history_push(target);
         }
 
         return reason;
 }
 
-int queues_notification_close(notification *n, int reason)
+int queues_notification_close(notification *n, enum reason reason)
 {
         assert(n != NULL);
         return queues_notification_close_id(n->id, reason);
@@ -250,11 +246,11 @@ void queues_history_push(notification *n)
 void queues_history_push_all(void)
 {
         while (displayed->length > 0) {
-                queues_notification_close(g_queue_peek_head_link(displayed)->data, 2);
+                queues_notification_close(g_queue_peek_head_link(displayed)->data, REASON_USER);
         }
 
         while (waiting->length > 0) {
-                queues_notification_close(g_queue_peek_head_link(waiting)->data, 2);
+                queues_notification_close(g_queue_peek_head_link(waiting)->data, REASON_USER);
         }
 }
 
@@ -288,7 +284,7 @@ void queues_check_timeouts(bool idle)
 
                 /* remove old message */
                 if (g_get_monotonic_time() - n->start > n->timeout) {
-                        queues_notification_close(n, 1);
+                        queues_notification_close(n, REASON_TIME);
                 }
         }
 }
diff --git a/src/queues.h b/src/queues.h
index d318180..8bd23f6 100644
--- a/src/queues.h
+++ b/src/queues.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #define DUNST_QUEUE_H
 
 #include "notification.h"
+#include "dbus.h"
 
 /*
  * Initialise neccessary queues
@@ -58,21 +59,15 @@ bool queues_notification_replace_id(notification *new);
  *
  * After closing, call wake_up to synchronize the queues with the UI
  * (which closes the notification on screen)
- *
- * reasons:
- * -1 -> notification is a replacement, no NotificationClosed signal emitted
- *  1 -> the notification expired
- *  2 -> the notification was dismissed by the user_data
- *  3 -> The notification was closed by a call to CloseNotification
  */
-int queues_notification_close_id(int id, int reason);
+int queues_notification_close_id(int id, enum reason reason);
 
 /* Close the given notification. SEE queues_notification_close_id.
  *
  * @n: (transfer full): The notification to close
  * @reason: The reason to close
  * */
-int queues_notification_close(notification *n, int reason);
+int queues_notification_close(notification *n, enum reason reason);
 
 /*
  * Pushed the latest notification of history to the displayed queue
diff --git a/src/rules.c b/src/rules.c
index a9455b2..086c627 100644
--- a/src/rules.c
+++ b/src/rules.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ void rule_apply(rule_t *r, notification *n)
 {
         if (r->timeout != -1)
                 n->timeout = r->timeout;
-        if (r->urgency != -1)
+        if (r->urgency != URG_NONE)
                 n->urgency = r->urgency;
         if (r->history_ignore != -1)
                 n->history_ignore = r->history_ignore;
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ void rule_init(rule_t *r)
         r->body = NULL;
         r->icon = NULL;
         r->category = NULL;
-        r->msg_urgency = -1;
+        r->msg_urgency = URG_NONE;
         r->timeout = -1;
-        r->urgency = -1;
+        r->urgency = URG_NONE;
         r->markup = MARKUP_NULL;
         r->new_icon = NULL;
         r->history_ignore = false;
@@ -86,6 +86,6 @@ bool rule_matches_notification(rule_t *r, notification *n)
                 && (!r->icon || !fnmatch(r->icon, n->icon, 0))
                 && (!r->category || !fnmatch(r->category, n->category, 0))
                 && (r->match_transient == -1 || (r->match_transient == n->transient))
-                && (r->msg_urgency == -1 || r->msg_urgency == n->urgency));
+                && (r->msg_urgency == URG_NONE || r->msg_urgency == n->urgency));
 }
 /* vim: set tabstop=8 shiftwidth=8 expandtab textwidth=0: */
diff --git a/src/rules.h b/src/rules.h
index a813d98..b8d1d87 100644
--- a/src/rules.h
+++ b/src/rules.h
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ typedef struct _rule_t {
 
         /* actions */
         gint64 timeout;
-        int urgency;
+        enum urgency urgency;
         enum markup_mode markup;
         int history_ignore;
         int match_transient;
diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index d9566ad..0d4a569 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -47,18 +47,18 @@ static enum markup_mode parse_markup_mode(const char *mode)
         }
 }
 
-static int ini_get_urgency(const char *section, const char *key, const int def)
+static enum urgency ini_get_urgency(const char *section, const char *key, const int def)
 {
         int ret = def;
         char *urg = ini_get_string(section, key, "");
 
         if (strlen(urg) > 0) {
                 if (strcmp(urg, "low") == 0)
-                        ret = LOW;
+                        ret = URG_LOW;
                 else if (strcmp(urg, "normal") == 0)
-                        ret = NORM;
+                        ret = URG_NORM;
                 else if (strcmp(urg, "critical") == 0)
-                        ret = CRIT;
+                        ret = URG_CRIT;
                 else
                         fprintf(stderr,
                                 "unknown urgency: %s, ignoring\n",
@@ -492,15 +492,15 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 "Frame color for notifications with low urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.timeouts[LOW] = option_get_time(
+        settings.timeouts[URG_LOW] = option_get_time(
                 "urgency_low",
-                "timeout", "-lto", defaults.timeouts[LOW],
+                "timeout", "-lto", defaults.timeouts[URG_LOW],
                 "Timeout for notifications with low urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.icons[LOW] = option_get_string(
+        settings.icons[URG_LOW] = option_get_string(
                 "urgency_low",
-                "icon", "-li", defaults.icons[LOW],
+                "icon", "-li", defaults.icons[URG_LOW],
                 "Icon for notifications with low urgency"
         );
 
@@ -522,15 +522,15 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 "Frame color for notifications with normal urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.timeouts[NORM] = option_get_time(
+        settings.timeouts[URG_NORM] = option_get_time(
                 "urgency_normal",
-                "timeout", "-nto", defaults.timeouts[NORM],
+                "timeout", "-nto", defaults.timeouts[URG_NORM],
                 "Timeout for notifications with normal urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.icons[NORM] = option_get_string(
+        settings.icons[URG_NORM] = option_get_string(
                 "urgency_normal",
-                "icon", "-ni", defaults.icons[NORM],
+                "icon", "-ni", defaults.icons[URG_NORM],
                 "Icon for notifications with normal urgency"
         );
 
@@ -552,15 +552,15 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 "Frame color for notifications with critical urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.timeouts[CRIT] = option_get_time(
+        settings.timeouts[URG_CRIT] = option_get_time(
                 "urgency_critical",
-                "timeout", "-cto", defaults.timeouts[CRIT],
+                "timeout", "-cto", defaults.timeouts[URG_CRIT],
                 "Timeout for notifications with critical urgency"
         );
 
-        settings.icons[CRIT] = option_get_string(
+        settings.icons[URG_CRIT] = option_get_string(
                 "urgency_critical",
-                "icon", "-ci", defaults.icons[CRIT],
+                "icon", "-ci", defaults.icons[URG_CRIT],
                 "Icon for notifications with critical urgency"
         );
 
diff --git a/src/x11/x.c b/src/x11/x.c
index 0710b67..1b17983 100644
--- a/src/x11/x.c
+++ b/src/x11/x.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#include "src/dbus.h"
 #include "src/dunst.h"
 #include "src/markup.h"
 #include "src/notification.h"
@@ -856,7 +857,7 @@ gboolean x_mainloop_fd_dispatch(GSource *source, GSourceFunc callback,
                             && settings.close_ks.mask == state) {
                                 const GList *displayed = queues_get_displayed();
                                 if (displayed && displayed->data) {
-                                        queues_notification_close(displayed->data, 2);
+                                        queues_notification_close(displayed->data, REASON_USER);
                                         wake_up();
                                 }
                         }
@@ -937,7 +938,7 @@ static void x_handle_click(XEvent ev)
 
                 if (n) {
                         if (ev.xbutton.button == Button1)
-                                queues_notification_close(n, 2);
+                                queues_notification_close(n, REASON_USER);
                         else
                                 notification_do_action(n);
                 }
@@ -980,26 +981,26 @@ void x_setup(void)
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.context_ks);
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.context_ks);
 
-        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][LOW] = settings.lowfgcolor;
-        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][NORM] = settings.normfgcolor;
-        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][CRIT] = settings.critfgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][URG_LOW] = settings.lowfgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][URG_NORM] = settings.normfgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColFG][URG_CRIT] = settings.critfgcolor;
 
-        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][LOW] = settings.lowbgcolor;
-        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][NORM] = settings.normbgcolor;
-        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][CRIT] = settings.critbgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][URG_LOW] = settings.lowbgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][URG_NORM] = settings.normbgcolor;
+        xctx.color_strings[ColBG][URG_CRIT] = settings.critbgcolor;
 
         if (settings.lowframecolor)
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][LOW] = settings.lowframecolor;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_LOW] = settings.lowframecolor;
         else
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][LOW] = settings.frame_color;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_LOW] = settings.frame_color;
         if (settings.normframecolor)
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][NORM] = settings.normframecolor;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_NORM] = settings.normframecolor;
         else
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][NORM] = settings.frame_color;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_NORM] = settings.frame_color;
         if (settings.critframecolor)
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][CRIT] = settings.critframecolor;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_CRIT] = settings.critframecolor;
         else
-                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][CRIT] = settings.frame_color;
+                xctx.color_strings[ColFrame][URG_CRIT] = settings.frame_color;
 
         /* parse and set xctx.geometry and monitor position */
         if (settings.geom[0] == '-') {
diff --git a/test/notification.c b/test/notification.c
index e5812dd..c4e3494 100644
--- a/test/notification.c
+++ b/test/notification.c
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ TEST test_notification_is_duplicate(void *notifications)
 
         ASSERT(notification_is_duplicate(a, b));
 
-        b->urgency = LOW;
+        b->urgency = URG_LOW;
         ASSERT_FALSE(notification_is_duplicate(a, b));
-        b->urgency = NORM;
+        b->urgency = URG_NORM;
         ASSERT(notification_is_duplicate(a, b));
-        b->urgency = CRIT;
+        b->urgency = URG_CRIT;
         ASSERT_FALSE(notification_is_duplicate(a, b));
 
         PASS();
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ SUITE(suite_notification)
         a->summary = "Summary";
         a->body = "Body";
         a->icon = "Icon";
-        a->urgency = NORM;
+        a->urgency = URG_NORM;
 
         notification *b = notification_create();
         memcpy(b, a, sizeof(*b));