diff --git a/lib/src/core/room.dart b/lib/src/core/room.dart
index 085842f5..8475a900 100644
--- a/lib/src/core/room.dart
+++ b/lib/src/core/room.dart
@@ -1340,7 +1340,7 @@ extension DataStreamRoomMethods on Room {
             ? streamHeader.textHeader.generated
             : false,
         operationType: streamHeader.textHeader.hasOperationType()
-            ? streamHeader.textHeader.operationType.name
+            ? TextStreamOperationType.fromPBType(streamHeader.textHeader.operationType)
             : null,
       );
 
diff --git a/lib/src/participant/local.dart b/lib/src/participant/local.dart
index 2dfcc3b8..e37c772b 100644
--- a/lib/src/participant/local.dart
+++ b/lib/src/participant/local.dart
@@ -1152,22 +1152,6 @@ extension RPCMethods on LocalParticipant {
   }
 }
 
-/// Helper function to convert string operation type to enum
-lk_models.DataStream_OperationType _stringToOperationType(String? type) {
-  switch (type?.toLowerCase()) {
-    case 'create':
-      return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.CREATE;
-    case 'update':
-      return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.UPDATE;
-    case 'delete':
-      return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.DELETE;
-    case 'reaction':
-      return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.REACTION;
-    default:
-      return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.CREATE;
-  }
-}
-
 extension DataStreamParticipantMethods on LocalParticipant {
   Future<TextStreamInfo> sendText(String text,
       {SendTextOptions? options}) async {
@@ -1259,7 +1243,7 @@ extension DataStreamParticipantMethods on LocalParticipant {
         attachedStreamIds: options?.attachedStreamIds,
         replyToStreamId: options?.replyToStreamId,
         generated: options?.generated ?? false,
-        operationType: _stringToOperationType(options?.type),
+        operationType: options?.type?.toPBType(),
       ),
     );
 
diff --git a/lib/src/types/data_stream.dart b/lib/src/types/data_stream.dart
index 213760e9..6263697a 100644
--- a/lib/src/types/data_stream.dart
+++ b/lib/src/types/data_stream.dart
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:io' show File;
 
 import '../data_stream/stream_reader.dart';
+import '../proto/livekit_models.pb.dart' as lk_models;
 import '../proto/livekit_models.pb.dart' show Encryption_Type, DataStream_Chunk;
 
 const kStreamChunkSize = 15_000;
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ class StreamTextOptions {
   int? totalSize;
 
   /// 'create' | 'update' | 'delete' | 'reaction'
-  String? type;
+  TextStreamOperationType? type;
 
   /// true if the text has been generated by an agent from a participant's audio transcription
   bool generated;
@@ -165,6 +166,43 @@ class ByteStreamInfo extends BaseStreamInfo {
         );
 }
 
+/// Operation types for text streams
+enum TextStreamOperationType {
+  create,
+  update,
+  delete,
+  reaction;
+
+  static TextStreamOperationType? fromPBType(lk_models.DataStream_OperationType? type) {
+    if (type == null) return TextStreamOperationType.create;
+    switch (type) {
+      case lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.CREATE:
+        return TextStreamOperationType.create;
+      case lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.UPDATE:
+        return TextStreamOperationType.update;
+      case lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.DELETE:
+        return TextStreamOperationType.delete;
+      case lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.REACTION:
+        return TextStreamOperationType.reaction;
+      default:
+        return null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  lk_models.DataStream_OperationType toPBType() {
+    switch (this) {
+      case TextStreamOperationType.create:
+        return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.CREATE;
+      case TextStreamOperationType.update:
+        return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.UPDATE;
+      case TextStreamOperationType.delete:
+        return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.DELETE;
+      case TextStreamOperationType.reaction:
+        return lk_models.DataStream_OperationType.REACTION;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 class TextStreamInfo extends BaseStreamInfo {
   /// The stream ID this message is replying to, if any
   final String? replyToStreamId;
@@ -179,7 +217,7 @@ class TextStreamInfo extends BaseStreamInfo {
   final bool generated;
 
   /// Operation type for the stream
-  final String? operationType;
+  final TextStreamOperationType? operationType;
 
   TextStreamInfo({
     required String id,
diff --git a/test/core/data_stream_test.dart b/test/core/data_stream_test.dart
index 20c05f74..59f9ba6a 100644
--- a/test/core/data_stream_test.dart
+++ b/test/core/data_stream_test.dart
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@ void main() {
     });
 
     test('Text Stream With Operation Types', () async {
-      final operationTypes = ['create', 'update', 'delete', 'reaction'];
+      final operationTypes = [
+        TextStreamOperationType.create,
+        TextStreamOperationType.update,
+        TextStreamOperationType.delete,
+        TextStreamOperationType.reaction,
+      ];
       final receivedMessages = <String>[];
 
       for (var operationType in operationTypes) {
@@ -176,7 +181,7 @@ void main() {
         final stream = await room.localParticipant?.streamText(StreamTextOptions(
           topic: 'chat-operations',
           type: operationType,
-          version: operationType == 'update' ? 2 : null,
+          version: operationType == TextStreamOperationType.update ? 2 : null,
         ));
         await stream?.write('Streamed ${operationType}');
         await stream?.close();
@@ -223,13 +228,13 @@ void main() {
         // Verify that reply metadata is accessible
         expect(reader.info?.replyToStreamId, originalStreamId);
         expect(reader.info?.version, 1);
-        expect(reader.info?.operationType, 'CREATE');
+        expect(reader.info?.operationType, TextStreamOperationType.create);
       });
 
       // Send a reply to an existing stream
       final stream = await room.localParticipant?.streamText(StreamTextOptions(
         topic: 'chat-replies',
-        type: 'create',
+        type: TextStreamOperationType.create,
         streamId: replyStreamId,
         replyToStreamId: originalStreamId,
         version: 1,
@@ -388,7 +393,7 @@ void main() {
           final stream = await room.localParticipant?.streamText(StreamTextOptions(
             topic: 'concurrent-streams',
             streamId: 'stream-${i}',
-            type: 'create',
+            type: TextStreamOperationType.create,
           ));
           await stream?.write('Concurrent message ${i}');
           await stream?.close();
@@ -454,7 +459,7 @@ void main() {
       // Send a message with comprehensive options
       final stream = await room.localParticipant?.streamText(StreamTextOptions(
         topic: 'header-validation',
-        type: 'create',
+        type: TextStreamOperationType.create,
         version: 1,
         generated: false,
         attributes: {