diff --git a/agent/consul/state/memdb.go b/agent/consul/state/memdb.go
index b0dc217173..5ec7e44bac 100644
--- a/agent/consul/state/memdb.go
+++ b/agent/consul/state/memdb.go
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ func (tx *txn) Commit() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// TODO: may be replaced by a gRPC type.
+type topic string
+
+func (t topic) String() string {
+	return string(t)
+}
+
 func processDBChanges(tx ReadTxn, changes Changes) ([]stream.Event, error) {
 	// TODO: add other table handlers here.
 	return aclChangeUnsubscribeEvent(tx, changes)
diff --git a/agent/consul/state/store_integration_test.go b/agent/consul/state/store_integration_test.go
index 857a3a1e18..2482cde535 100644
--- a/agent/consul/state/store_integration_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/state/store_integration_test.go
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ func assertReset(t *testing.T, eventCh <-chan nextResult, allowEOS bool) {
 	}
 }
 
-var topicService stream.Topic = 901
+var topicService stream.Topic = topic("test-topic-service")
 
 func newTestSnapshotHandlers(s *Store) stream.SnapshotHandlers {
 	return stream.SnapshotHandlers{
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/event.go b/agent/consul/stream/event.go
index 2bd11fd5a1..d78c29e43c 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/event.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/event.go
@@ -4,17 +4,14 @@ to the state store.
 */
 package stream
 
-type Topic int32
+import "fmt"
 
-// TODO: remove underscores
-// TODO: type string instead of int?
-// TODO: move topics to state package?
-const (
-	Topic_ServiceHealth        Topic = 1
-	Topic_ServiceHealthConnect Topic = 2
-)
+// Topic is an identifier that partitions events. A subscription will only receive
+// events which match the Topic.
+type Topic fmt.Stringer
 
-// TODO:
+// Event is a structure with identifiers and a payload. Events are Published to
+// EventPublisher and returned to Subscribers.
 type Event struct {
 	Topic   Topic
 	Key     string
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/event_buffer_test.go b/agent/consul/stream/event_buffer_test.go
index f8ca7b7b7d..bb27b91a40 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/event_buffer_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/event_buffer_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func TestEventBufferFuzz(t *testing.T) {
 			// streaming - here we only care about the semantics of the buffer.
 			e := Event{
 				Index: uint64(i), // Indexes should be contiguous
-				Topic: Topic_ServiceHealth,
+				Topic: testTopic,
 			}
 			b.Append([]Event{e})
 			// Sleep sometimes for a while to let some subscribers catch up
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher.go b/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher.go
index bc83ce8eb0..0b3e7c2a7a 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func (e *EventPublisher) Subscribe(
 	// Ensure we know how to make a snapshot for this topic
 	_, ok := e.snapshotHandlers[req.Topic]
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown topic %d", req.Topic)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown topic %v", req.Topic)
 	}
 
 	e.lock.Lock()
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func (e *EventPublisher) getSnapshotLocked(req *SubscribeRequest, topicHead *buf
 
 	handler, ok := e.snapshotHandlers[req.Topic]
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown topic %d", req.Topic)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown topic %v", req.Topic)
 	}
 
 	snap = newEventSnapshot(req, topicHead, handler)
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher_test.go b/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher_test.go
index 8988562f1e..4bf4bd27ee 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/event_publisher_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
-var testTopic Topic = 999
+type intTopic int
+
+func (i intTopic) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%d", i)
+}
+
+var testTopic Topic = intTopic(999)
 
 func TestEventPublisher_PublishChangesAndSubscribe_WithSnapshot(t *testing.T) {
 	subscription := &SubscribeRequest{
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/event_snapshot_test.go b/agent/consul/stream/event_snapshot_test.go
index 8b2185de2b..923e864ce3 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/event_snapshot_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/event_snapshot_test.go
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func testHealthConsecutiveSnapshotFn(size int, index uint64) snapFunc {
 func newDefaultHealthEvent(index uint64, n int) Event {
 	return Event{
 		Index:   index,
-		Topic:   Topic_ServiceHealth,
+		Topic:   testTopic,
 		Payload: fmt.Sprintf("test-event-%03d", n),
 	}
 }
diff --git a/agent/consul/stream/subscription_test.go b/agent/consul/stream/subscription_test.go
index 2a5eb0654c..9e4ab5269b 100644
--- a/agent/consul/stream/subscription_test.go
+++ b/agent/consul/stream/subscription_test.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func TestSubscription(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Create a subscription
 	req := &SubscribeRequest{
-		Topic: Topic_ServiceHealth,
+		Topic: testTopic,
 		Key:   "test",
 	}
 	sub := newSubscription(ctx, req, startHead)
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func TestSubscription_Close(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Create a subscription
 	req := &SubscribeRequest{
-		Topic: Topic_ServiceHealth,
+		Topic: testTopic,
 		Key:   "test",
 	}
 	sub := newSubscription(ctx, req, startHead)
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func publishTestEvent(index uint64, b *eventBuffer, key string) {
 	// but enough to test subscription mechanics.
 	e := Event{
 		Index: index,
-		Topic: Topic_ServiceHealth,
+		Topic: testTopic,
 		Key:   key,
 	}
 	b.Append([]Event{e})