diff --git a/library/src/androidTest/java/org/xmtp/android/library/ConversationTest.kt b/library/src/androidTest/java/org/xmtp/android/library/ConversationTest.kt
index d6d3e455d..8490aa07f 100644
--- a/library/src/androidTest/java/org/xmtp/android/library/ConversationTest.kt
+++ b/library/src/androidTest/java/org/xmtp/android/library/ConversationTest.kt
@@ -718,20 +718,20 @@ class ConversationTest {
     @Test
     fun testCanHaveAllowState() {
         val bobConversation = bobClient.conversations.newConversation(alice.walletAddress, null)
-        val isAllowed = bobConversation.allowState() == PrivatePreferences.PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.ALLOW
+        val isAllowed = bobConversation.allowState() == AllowState.ALLOW
 
         // Conversations you start should start as allowed
         assertTrue(isAllowed)
 
         val aliceConversation = aliceClient.conversations.list()[0]
-        val isUnknown = aliceConversation.allowState() == PrivatePreferences.PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.MESSAGETYPE_NOT_SET
+        val isUnknown = aliceConversation.allowState() == AllowState.UNKNOWN
 
         // Conversations started with you should start as unknown
         assertTrue(isUnknown)
 
         aliceClient.contacts.allow(listOf(bob.walletAddress))
 
-        val isBobAllowed = aliceConversation.allowState() == PrivatePreferences.PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.ALLOW
+        val isBobAllowed = aliceConversation.allowState() == AllowState.ALLOW
         assertTrue(isBobAllowed)
 
         val aliceClient2 = Client().create(aliceWallet, fakeApiClient)
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ class ConversationTest {
         aliceClient2.contacts.refreshAllowList()
 
         // Allow state should sync across clients
-        val isBobAllowed2 = aliceConversation2.allowState() == PrivatePreferences.PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.ALLOW
+        val isBobAllowed2 = aliceConversation2.allowState() == AllowState.ALLOW
 
         assertTrue(isBobAllowed2)
     }
diff --git a/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Contacts.kt b/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Contacts.kt
index 8b4350f13..8bb75e923 100644
--- a/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Contacts.kt
+++ b/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Contacts.kt
@@ -11,10 +11,15 @@ import java.util.Date
 
 typealias MessageType = PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase
 
+enum class AllowState {
+    ALLOW,
+    BLOCK,
+    UNKNOWN
+}
 data class AllowListEntry(
     val value: String,
     val entryType: EntryType,
-    val permissionType: MessageType,
+    val permissionType: AllowState,
 ) {
     enum class EntryType {
         ADDRESS
@@ -23,7 +28,7 @@ data class AllowListEntry(
     companion object {
         fun address(
             address: String,
-            type: MessageType = MessageType.MESSAGETYPE_NOT_SET,
+            type: AllowState = AllowState.UNKNOWN,
         ): AllowListEntry {
             return AllowListEntry(address, EntryType.ADDRESS, type)
         }
@@ -34,7 +39,7 @@ data class AllowListEntry(
 }
 
 class AllowList(val client: Client) {
-    private val entries: MutableMap<String, MessageType> = mutableMapOf()
+    private val entries: MutableMap<String, AllowState> = mutableMapOf()
     private val publicKey =
         client.privateKeyBundleV1.identityKey.publicKey.secp256K1Uncompressed.bytes
     private val privateKey = client.privateKeyBundleV1.identityKey.secp256K1.bytes
@@ -79,15 +84,9 @@ class AllowList(val client: Client) {
     fun publish(entry: AllowListEntry) {
         val payload = PrivatePreferencesAction.newBuilder().also {
             when (entry.permissionType) {
-                PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.ALLOW -> it.setAllow(
-                    PrivatePreferencesAction.Allow.newBuilder().addWalletAddresses(entry.value)
-                )
-
-                PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.BLOCK -> it.setBlock(
-                    PrivatePreferencesAction.Block.newBuilder().addWalletAddresses(entry.value)
-                )
-
-                PrivatePreferencesAction.MessageTypeCase.MESSAGETYPE_NOT_SET -> it.clearMessageType()
+                AllowState.ALLOW -> it.setAllow(PrivatePreferencesAction.Allow.newBuilder().addWalletAddresses(entry.value))
+                AllowState.BLOCK -> it.setBlock(PrivatePreferencesAction.Block.newBuilder().addWalletAddresses(entry.value))
+                AllowState.UNKNOWN -> it.clearMessageType()
             }
         }.build()
 
@@ -107,21 +106,21 @@ class AllowList(val client: Client) {
     }
 
     fun allow(address: String): AllowListEntry {
-        entries[AllowListEntry.address(address).key] = MessageType.ALLOW
+        entries[AllowListEntry.address(address).key] = AllowState.ALLOW
 
-        return AllowListEntry.address(address, MessageType.ALLOW)
+        return AllowListEntry.address(address, AllowState.ALLOW)
     }
 
     fun block(address: String): AllowListEntry {
-        entries[AllowListEntry.address(address).key] = MessageType.BLOCK
+        entries[AllowListEntry.address(address).key] = AllowState.BLOCK
 
-        return AllowListEntry.address(address, MessageType.BLOCK)
+        return AllowListEntry.address(address, AllowState.BLOCK)
     }
 
-    fun state(address: String): MessageType {
+    fun state(address: String): AllowState {
         val state = entries[AllowListEntry.address(address).key]
 
-        return state ?: MessageType.MESSAGETYPE_NOT_SET
+        return state ?: AllowState.UNKNOWN
     }
 }
 
@@ -140,11 +139,11 @@ data class Contacts(
     }
 
     fun isAllowed(address: String): Boolean {
-        return allowList.state(address) == MessageType.ALLOW
+        return allowList.state(address) == AllowState.ALLOW
     }
 
     fun isBlocked(address: String): Boolean {
-        return allowList.state(address) == MessageType.BLOCK
+        return allowList.state(address) == AllowState.BLOCK
     }
 
     fun allow(addresses: List<String>) {
diff --git a/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Conversation.kt b/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Conversation.kt
index c6a55335d..9da904e1c 100644
--- a/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Conversation.kt
+++ b/library/src/main/java/org/xmtp/android/library/Conversation.kt
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ sealed class Conversation {
             }
         }
 
-    fun allowState(): MessageType {
+    fun allowState(): AllowState {
         val client: Client = when (this) {
             is V1 -> conversationV1.client
             is V2 -> conversationV2.client