diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
index 923eef667c..8a809dee72 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.cpp
@@ -173,10 +173,6 @@ void EntityItemProperties::setLastEdited(quint64 usecTime) {
 
 const char* shapeTypeNames[] = {"none", "box", "sphere"};
 
-QString EntityItemProperties::getShapeTypeString() const {
-    return QString(shapeTypeNames[_shapeType]);
-}
-
 QHash<QString, ShapeType> stringToShapeTypeLookup;
 
 void buildStringToShapeTypeLookup() {
@@ -185,6 +181,10 @@ void buildStringToShapeTypeLookup() {
     stringToShapeTypeLookup["sphere"] = SHAPE_TYPE_SPHERE;
 }
 
+QString EntityItemProperties::getShapeTypeAsString() const {
+    return QString(shapeTypeNames[_shapeType]);
+}
+
 void EntityItemProperties::setShapeTypeFromString(const QString& shapeName) {
     if (stringToShapeTypeLookup.empty()) {
         buildStringToShapeTypeLookup();
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ QScriptValue EntityItemProperties::copyToScriptValue(QScriptEngine* engine) cons
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE(lineHeight);
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE_COLOR_GETTER(textColor, getTextColor());
     COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE_COLOR_GETTER(backgroundColor, getBackgroundColor());
-    COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE_GETTER(shapeType, getShapeTypeString());
+    COPY_PROPERTY_TO_QSCRIPTVALUE_GETTER(shapeType, getShapeTypeAsString());
 
     // Sitting properties support
     QScriptValue sittingPoints = engine->newObject();
@@ -378,15 +378,7 @@ void EntityItemProperties::copyFromScriptValue(const QScriptValue& object) {
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE_FLOAT(lineHeight, setLineHeight);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE_COLOR(textColor, setTextColor);
     COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRIPTVALUE_COLOR(backgroundColor, setBackgroundColor);
-
-    QScriptValue shapeType = object.property("shapeType");
-    if (shapeType.isValid()) {
-        QString newValue = shapeType.toVariant().toString();
-        if (_defaultSettings || newValue != getShapeTypeString()) {
-            setShapeTypeFromString(newValue);
-        }
-    }
-
+    COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRITPTVALUE_ENUM(shapeType, ShapeType);
 
     _lastEdited = usecTimestampNow();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
index 070b80f754..2391bcde84 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemProperties.h
@@ -181,10 +181,7 @@ public:
     DEFINE_PROPERTY(PROP_LINE_HEIGHT, LineHeight, lineHeight, float);
     DEFINE_PROPERTY_REF(PROP_TEXT_COLOR, TextColor, textColor, xColor);
     DEFINE_PROPERTY_REF(PROP_BACKGROUND_COLOR, BackgroundColor, backgroundColor, xColor);
-    DEFINE_PROPERTY_REF(PROP_SHAPE_TYPE, ShapeType, shapeType, ShapeType);
-
-    QString getShapeTypeString() const;
-    void setShapeTypeFromString(const QString& shapeName);
+    DEFINE_PROPERTY_REF_ENUM(PROP_SHAPE_TYPE, ShapeType, shapeType, ShapeType);
 
 public:
     float getMaxDimension() const { return glm::max(_dimensions.x, _dimensions.y, _dimensions.z); }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemPropertiesMacros.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemPropertiesMacros.h
index 9cf16c7a05..5e04614656 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemPropertiesMacros.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityItemPropertiesMacros.h
@@ -271,6 +271,15 @@
             }                                           \
         }                                               \
     }
+
+#define COPY_PROPERTY_FROM_QSCRITPTVALUE_ENUM(P, S)               \
+    QScriptValue P = object.property(#P);                         \
+    if (P.isValid()) {                                            \
+        QString newValue = P.toVariant().toString();              \
+        if (_defaultSettings || newValue != get##S##AsString()) { \
+            set##S##FromString(newValue);                         \
+        }                                                         \
+    }
     
 #define CONSTRUCT_PROPERTY(n, V)        \
     _##n(V),                            \
@@ -312,6 +321,17 @@
         T _##n; \
         bool _##n##Changed;
 
+#define DEFINE_PROPERTY_REF_ENUM(P, N, n, T) \
+    public: \
+        const T& get##N() const { return _##n; } \
+        void set##N(const T& value) { _##n = value; _##n##Changed = true; } \
+        bool n##Changed() const { return _##n##Changed; } \
+        QString get##N##AsString() const; \
+        void set##N##FromString(const QString& name); \
+    private: \
+        T _##n; \
+        bool _##n##Changed;
+
 #define DEBUG_PROPERTY_IF_CHANGED(D, P, N, n, x)                \
     if (P.n##Changed()) {                                       \
         D << "  " << #n << ":" << P.get##N() << x << "\n";      \