diff --git a/bindings/python/blk_1m.hpp b/bindings/python/blk_1m.hpp
index 3f6c2dab..163fba10 100644
--- a/bindings/python/blk_1m.hpp
+++ b/bindings/python/blk_1m.hpp
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ namespace libcloudphxx {
         const bp_array &rhod,
         const bp_array &ri,
         const typename arr_t::T_numtype &dz,
-        const std::string ice_type
+        const b1m::ice_t ice_type
       ) {
         arr_t
         np2bz_dot_ri(np2bz<arr_t>(dot_ri));
diff --git a/bindings/python/lib.cpp b/bindings/python/lib.cpp
index 4bc0e9c0..e2e6b1dd 100644
--- a/bindings/python/lib.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/lib.cpp
@@ -177,6 +177,10 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(libcloudphxx)
     bp::def("rhs_cellwise_nwtrph_ice", blk_1m::rhs_cellwise_nwtrph_ice<arr_t>);
     bp::def("rhs_columnwise", blk_1m::rhs_columnwise<arr_t>); // TODO: handle the returned flux
     bp::def("rhs_columnwise_ice", blk_1m::rhs_columnwise_ice<arr_t>);
+
+    bp::enum_<b1m::ice_t>("ice_t")
+      .value("iceA", b1m::ice_t::iceA)
+      .value("iceB", b1m::ice_t::iceB);
   }
 
   // blk_2m stuff
diff --git a/tests/python/unit/api_blk_1m.py b/tests/python/unit/api_blk_1m.py
index 4476e062..190d1759 100644
--- a/tests/python/unit/api_blk_1m.py
+++ b/tests/python/unit/api_blk_1m.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 from libcloudphxx import blk_1m
 
 opts = blk_1m.opts_t()
+ice_t = blk_1m.ice_t()
 print("cond =", opts.cond)
 print("cevp =", opts.cevp)
 print("revp =", opts.revp) 
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@
 assert dot_rib != 0
 
 #testing sedimentation of ice
-flux_iceA = blk_1m.rhs_columnwise_ice(opts, dot_ria, rhod, ria, dz, "iceA")
-flux_iceB = blk_1m.rhs_columnwise_ice(opts, dot_rib, rhod, rib, dz, "iceB")
+flux_iceA = blk_1m.rhs_columnwise_ice(opts, dot_ria, rhod, ria, dz, ice_t.iceA)
+flux_iceB = blk_1m.rhs_columnwise_ice(opts, dot_rib, rhod, rib, dz, ice_t.iceB)
 assert flux_iceA != 0
 assert flux_iceB != 0
\ No newline at end of file