diff --git a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/compile/DumpState.java b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/compile/DumpState.java
index 5c85f273..e5a528d1 100644
--- a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/compile/DumpState.java
+++ b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/compile/DumpState.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.io.DataOutputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 
+import lua.Lua;
 import lua.io.Proto;
 import lua.value.LBoolean;
 import lua.value.LNil;
@@ -36,17 +37,6 @@ public class DumpState {
 	private static final int SIZEOF_LUA_NUMBER = 8;
 	private static final int IS_NUMBER_INTEGRAL = 0;
 
-	// types of lua constants
-	private static final int LUA_TNIL		= 0;
-	private static final int LUA_TBOOLEAN		= 1;
-	private static final int LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA	= 2;
-	private static final int LUA_TNUMBER		= 3;
-	private static final int LUA_TSTRING		= 4;
-	private static final int LUA_TTABLE		= 5;
-	private static final int LUA_TFUNCTION		= 6;
-	private static final int LUA_TUSERDATA		= 7;
-	private static final int LUA_TTHREAD		= 8;
-
 	DataOutputStream writer;
 	boolean strip;
 	int status;
@@ -94,16 +84,16 @@ public class DumpState {
 		for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 			final LValue o = f.k[i];
 			if (o == LNil.NIL) {
-				writer.write(LUA_TNIL);
+				writer.write(Lua.LUA_TNIL);
 				// do nothing more
 			} else if (o instanceof LBoolean) {
-				writer.write(LUA_TBOOLEAN);
+				writer.write(Lua.LUA_TBOOLEAN);
 				dumpChar(o.luaAsBoolean() ? 1 : 0);
 			} else if (o instanceof LNumber) {
-				writer.write(LUA_TNUMBER);
+				writer.write(Lua.LUA_TNUMBER);
 				dumpNumber(o.luaAsDouble());
 			} else if (o instanceof LString) {
-				writer.write(LUA_TSTRING);
+				writer.write(Lua.LUA_TSTRING);
 				dumpString((LString) o);
 			} else {
 				throw new IllegalArgumentException("bad type for " + o);
diff --git a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/StrLib.java b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/StrLib.java
index 1cd0df84..8af72705 100644
--- a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/StrLib.java
+++ b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/StrLib.java
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ public class StrLib {
 			if ( !repl.luaAsBoolean() ) {
 				repl = s.substring( soffset, end );
 			} else if ( ! ( repl instanceof LString || repl instanceof LNumber ) ) {
-				vm.lua_error( "invalid replacement value (a "+repl.luaGetType()+")" );
+				vm.lua_error( "invalid replacement value (a "+repl.luaGetTypeName()+")" );
 			}
 			vm.lua_pop( 1 );
 			lbuf.append( repl.luaAsString() );
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/Builtin.java b/src/main/java/lua/Builtin.java
index 4a6eefde..c78b4533 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/Builtin.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/Builtin.java
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ final class Builtin extends LFunction {
 			vm.setResult( t );
 			break;
 		case TYPE:
-			vm.setResult( vm.getArg(0).luaGetType() );
+			vm.setResult( vm.getArg(0).luaGetTypeName() );
 			break;
 		case PCALL: {
 				int n = vm.getArgCount();
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/Lua.java b/src/main/java/lua/Lua.java
index 93eb0a91..4098c3d0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/Lua.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/Lua.java
@@ -354,4 +354,18 @@ public class Lua {
 		  null,
 	};
 
+	// type constants
+	
+	public static final int LUA_TNONE			= (-1);
+	public static final int LUA_TNIL			= 0;
+	public static final int LUA_TBOOLEAN		= 1;
+	public static final int LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA	= 2;
+	public static final int LUA_TNUMBER			= 3;
+	public static final int LUA_TSTRING			= 4;
+	public static final int LUA_TTABLE			= 5;
+	public static final int LUA_TFUNCTION		= 6;
+	public static final int LUA_TUSERDATA		= 7;
+	public static final int LUA_TTHREAD			= 8;
+
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/debug/DebugStackState.java b/src/main/java/lua/debug/DebugStackState.java
index 286d5594..4d9a7a5a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/debug/DebugStackState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/debug/DebugStackState.java
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ public class DebugStackState extends StackState implements DebugRequestListener
                 variablesSeen.add(varName);
                 LValue value = stack[callInfo.base + i];                
                 if (value != null) {
-                    Type type = Type.valueOf(value.luaGetType().toJavaString());
+                    Type type = Type.valueOf(value.luaGetTypeName().toJavaString());
                     DebugUtils.print("\tType: " + type);
                     if (type == Type.table) {
                         DebugUtils.println(" (selected)");
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java b/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
index c87a37d2..46d42953 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import java.io.DataInputStream;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 
+import lua.Lua;
 import lua.VM;
 import lua.value.LBoolean;
 import lua.value.LDouble;
@@ -56,18 +57,6 @@ public class LoadState {
 	/** The VM doing the loading */
 	VM L;
 	
-	private static final int LUA_TNONE		= (-1);
-
-	private static final int LUA_TNIL		= 0;
-	private static final int LUA_TBOOLEAN		= 1;
-	private static final int LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA	= 2;
-	private static final int LUA_TNUMBER		= 3;
-	private static final int LUA_TSTRING		= 4;
-	private static final int LUA_TTABLE		= 5;
-	private static final int LUA_TFUNCTION		= 6;
-	private static final int LUA_TUSERDATA		= 7;
-	private static final int LUA_TTHREAD		= 8;
-
 	int loadByte() throws IOException {
 		return is.readUnsignedByte();
 	}
@@ -148,16 +137,16 @@ public class LoadState {
 		LValue[] values = new LValue[n];
 		for ( int i=0; i<n; i++ ) {
 			switch ( loadByte() ) {
-			case LUA_TNIL:
+			case Lua.LUA_TNIL:
 				values[i] = LNil.NIL;
 				break;
-			case LUA_TBOOLEAN:
+			case Lua.LUA_TBOOLEAN:
 				values[i] = (0 != loadByte()? LBoolean.TRUE: LBoolean.FALSE);
 				break;
-			case LUA_TNUMBER:
+			case Lua.LUA_TNUMBER:
 				values[i] = loadNumber();
 				break;
-			case LUA_TSTRING:
+			case Lua.LUA_TSTRING:
 				values[i] = loadString();
 				break;
 			default:
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
index 2971a655..1e87b0b5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 package lua.value;
 
+import lua.Lua;
+
 public final class LBoolean extends LValue {
 
 	public static final LBoolean TRUE = new LBoolean("true",true);
 	
 	public static final LBoolean FALSE = new LBoolean("false",false);
 	
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.bool.toString());
-	
 	private final LString m_name;
 	private final boolean m_value;
 	
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public final class LBoolean extends LValue {
 		return value? TRUE: FALSE;
 	}
 	
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TFUNCTION;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
index 7a13359e..f90024cb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 package lua.value;
 
+import lua.Lua;
 import lua.VM;
 
 
 public class LFunction extends LValue {
 
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.function.toString());
-	
 	public LString luaAsString() {
 		return new LString( "function: "+hashCode() );
 	}
@@ -26,8 +25,8 @@ public class LFunction extends LValue {
 		vm.lua_call( 2, 1 );
 	}
 	
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TFUNCTION;
 	}
 	
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
index 7ef0dd5f..41e9f382 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
@@ -1,21 +1,22 @@
 package lua.value;
 
+import lua.Lua;
+
 public final class LNil extends LValue {
 	public static final LNil NIL = new LNil();
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.nil.toString());
 	
 	public final LString luaAsString() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+		return luaGetTypeName();
 	}
 
 	public boolean luaAsBoolean() {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TNIL;
 	}
-
+	
 	public int luaAsInt() {
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNumber.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNumber.java
index 78427f37..50efd74d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNumber.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNumber.java
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ import lua.Lua;
 abstract
 public class LNumber extends LValue {
 
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString("number");
-	
 	/** Compare for equivalence by using lua op comparator */
 	public boolean equals(Object o) {
 		if ( ! ( o instanceof LValue) )
@@ -15,10 +13,10 @@ public class LNumber extends LValue {
 		return this.luaBinCmpUnknown(Lua.OP_EQ, v );
 	}
 
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TNUMBER;
 	}
-
+	
 	/**
 	 * Returns false by default for non-LNumbers, but subclasses of LNumber must
 	 * override.
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
index 6d7e2c62..3ed22452 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ import lua.Lua;
  * efficiency, new LStrings and substrings never create copies.
  */
 public class LString extends LValue {
-
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.string.toString());
 	
 	public final byte[] m_bytes;
 	public final int m_offset;
@@ -287,8 +285,8 @@ public class LString extends LValue {
 		return LInteger.valueOf( length() );
 	}
 
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TSTRING;
 	}
 	
 	public LTable luaGetMetatable() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
index fa77ee40..e91142b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ import lua.VM;
  * 
  */
 public class LTable extends LValue {
-
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.table.toString());
 	
 	/**
 	 * Zero-length array to use instead of null, so that we don't need to
@@ -262,8 +260,8 @@ public class LTable extends LValue {
 		return new LString("table: "+id());
 	}
 
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TTABLE;
 	}
 	
 	/** Valid for tables */
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
index 34a15d1e..75f7d6df 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 package lua.value;
 
-public class LThread extends LValue {
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.thread.toString());
-	
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
-	}
+import lua.Lua;
 
+public class LThread extends LValue {
+	
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TTHREAD;
+	}
+	
 	public LString luaAsString() {
 		return new LString("thread: "+hashCode());
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
index 78c191b9..48b85428 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 package lua.value;
 
+import lua.Lua;
+
 public class LUserData extends LValue {
-	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString(Type.userdata.toString());
 	
 	public final Object m_instance;
 	public LTable m_metatable;
@@ -23,8 +24,8 @@ public class LUserData extends LValue {
 		return System.identityHashCode( m_instance );
 	}
 
-	public LString luaGetType() {
-		return TYPE_NAME;
+	public int luaGetType() {
+		return Lua.LUA_TUSERDATA;
 	}
 	
 	public LTable luaGetMetatable() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
index d419ac59..39ff9d8d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
@@ -176,7 +176,12 @@ public class LValue {
 		luaUnsupportedOperation();
 	}
 
+	/** Valid for all types: return the int value identifying the type of this value */
+	public abstract int luaGetType();
+
 	/** Valid for all types: return the type of this value as an LString */
-	public abstract LString luaGetType();
+	public LString luaGetTypeName() {
+		return Type.VALUES[luaGetType()].toLString();
+	}
 
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/Type.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/Type.java
index ad651980..11aefdf7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/Type.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/Type.java
@@ -47,16 +47,17 @@ public class Type implements Serializable, Comparable {
     protected static int ORDINAL = 0;
     
     private String name;
+    private LString lname;
     private int ordinal;
     Type(String name) {
         this.name = name;
+        this.lname = new LString(name);
         this.ordinal = ORDINAL++;
     }
     
     /* (non-Javadoc)
      * @see java.lang.Enum#toString()
      */
-    @Override
     public String toString() {
         return name;
     }
@@ -78,4 +79,8 @@ public class Type implements Serializable, Comparable {
     public int compareTo(Object o) {
         return this.ordinal - ((Type)o).ordinal;
     }
+
+	public LString toLString() {
+		return lname;
+	}
 }