diff --git a/src/pylorax/api/compose.py b/src/pylorax/api/compose.py
index 321a8b55..5a59491b 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/api/compose.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/api/compose.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ from pykickstart.version import makeVersion
 from pylorax.api.projects import projects_depsolve, projects_depsolve_with_size, dep_nevra
 from pylorax.api.projects import ProjectsError
 from pylorax.api.recipes import read_recipe_and_id
-from pylorax.api.timestamp import write_timestamp
+from pylorax.api.timestamp import TS_CREATED, write_timestamp
 from pylorax.imgutils import default_image_name
 from pylorax.sysutils import joinpaths
 
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def start_build(cfg, dnflock, gitlock, branch, recipe_name, compose_type, test_m
     if test_mode > 0:
         open(joinpaths(results_dir, "TEST"), "w").write("%s" % test_mode)
 
-    write_timestamp(results_dir, "created")
+    write_timestamp(results_dir, TS_CREATED)
     log.info("Adding %s (%s %s) to compose queue", build_id, recipe["name"], compose_type)
     os.symlink(results_dir, joinpaths(lib_dir, "queue/new/", build_id))
 
diff --git a/src/pylorax/api/queue.py b/src/pylorax/api/queue.py
index 78d49652..dc2d419d 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/api/queue.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/api/queue.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import time
 from pylorax import find_templates
 from pylorax.api.compose import move_compose_results
 from pylorax.api.recipes import recipe_from_file
-from pylorax.api.timestamp import write_timestamp, timestamp_dict
+from pylorax.api.timestamp import TS_CREATED, TS_STARTED, TS_FINISHED, write_timestamp, timestamp_dict
 from pylorax.base import DataHolder
 from pylorax.creator import run_creator
 from pylorax.sysutils import joinpaths
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def monitor(cfg):
                 make_compose(cfg, os.path.realpath(dst))
                 log.info("Finished building %s, results are in %s", dst, os.path.realpath(dst))
                 open(joinpaths(dst, "STATUS"), "w").write("FINISHED\n")
-                write_timestamp(dst, "finished")
+                write_timestamp(dst, TS_FINISHED)
             except Exception:
                 import traceback
                 log.error("traceback: %s", traceback.format_exc())
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ def monitor(cfg):
 # TODO - Write the error message to an ERROR-LOG file to include with the status
 #                log.error("Error running compose: %s", e)
                 open(joinpaths(dst, "STATUS"), "w").write("FAILED\n")
-                write_timestamp(dst, "finished")
+                write_timestamp(dst, TS_FINISHED)
 
             os.unlink(dst)
 
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ def make_compose(cfg, results_dir):
     log.debug("cfg  = %s", install_cfg)
     try:
         test_path = joinpaths(results_dir, "TEST")
-        write_timestamp(results_dir, "started")
+        write_timestamp(results_dir, TS_STARTED)
         if os.path.exists(test_path):
             # Pretend to run the compose
             time.sleep(5)
@@ -286,9 +286,9 @@ def compose_detail(results_dir):
 
     return {"id":           build_id,
             "queue_status": status,
-            "job_created":  times.get("created"),
-            "job_started":  times.get("started"),
-            "job_finished": times.get("finished"),
+            "job_created":  times.get(TS_CREATED),
+            "job_started":  times.get(TS_STARTED),
+            "job_finished": times.get(TS_FINISHED),
             "compose_type": compose_type,
             "blueprint":    blueprint["name"],
             "version":      blueprint["version"],
diff --git a/src/pylorax/api/timestamp.py b/src/pylorax/api/timestamp.py
index a0e3994d..9135ad4d 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/api/timestamp.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/api/timestamp.py
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ import time
 
 from pylorax.sysutils import joinpaths
 
+TS_CREATED  = "created"
+TS_STARTED  = "started"
+TS_FINISHED = "finished"
+
 def write_timestamp(destdir, ty):
     path = joinpaths(destdir, "times.toml")
 
@@ -28,12 +32,12 @@ def write_timestamp(destdir, ty):
     except IOError:
         contents = toml.loads("")
 
-    if ty == "created":
-        contents["created"] = time.time()
-    elif ty == "started":
-        contents["started"] = time.time()
-    elif ty == "finished":
-        contents["finished"] = time.time()
+    if ty == TS_CREATED:
+        contents[TS_CREATED] = time.time()
+    elif ty == TS_STARTED:
+        contents[TS_STARTED] = time.time()
+    elif ty == TS_FINISHED:
+        contents[TS_FINISHED] = time.time()
 
     with open(path, "w") as f:
         f.write(toml.dumps(contents).encode("UTF-8"))