diff --git a/cluster.go b/cluster.go
index 37ba01b5f..96b03be7c 100644
--- a/cluster.go
+++ b/cluster.go
@@ -726,10 +726,10 @@ func (c *cluster) Nodes() []*topology.Node {
 		s, err := c.stator.NodeState(context.Background(), node.ID)
 		if err != nil {
 			// TODO should we delete this?
-			copiedNodes[i].State = string(disco.NodeStateUnknown)
+			copiedNodes[i].State = disco.NodeStateUnknown
 			continue
 		}
-		copiedNodes[i].State = string(s)
+		copiedNodes[i].State = s
 	}
 	return result
 }
diff --git a/encoding/proto/proto.go b/encoding/proto/proto.go
index f091c77ae..465a44b63 100644
--- a/encoding/proto/proto.go
+++ b/encoding/proto/proto.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2"
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/disco"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/internal"
 	pnet "github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/net"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/pql"
@@ -708,7 +709,7 @@ func (s Serializer) encodeNode(m *topology.Node) *internal.Node {
 	return &internal.Node{
 		ID:      n.ID,
 		URI:     s.encodeURI(n.URI),
-		State:   n.State,
+		State:   string(n.State),
 		GRPCURI: s.encodeURI(n.GRPCURI),
 	}
 }
@@ -1077,7 +1078,7 @@ func (s Serializer) decodeNode(node *internal.Node, m *topology.Node) {
 	m.ID = node.ID
 	s.decodeURI(node.URI, &m.URI)
 	s.decodeURI(node.GRPCURI, &m.GRPCURI)
-	m.State = node.State
+	m.State = disco.NodeState(node.State)
 }
 
 func (s Serializer) decodeURI(i *internal.URI, m *pnet.URI) {
diff --git a/executor.go b/executor.go
index f52a5083d..4fccfa9b3 100644
--- a/executor.go
+++ b/executor.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 	"unsafe"
 
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/disco"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/pql"
 	pb "github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/proto"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/roaring"
@@ -5527,9 +5528,7 @@ loop:
 			// If the node being considered is in any state other than STARTED,
 			// then exclude it from the map. This way, one of that node's
 			// healthy replicas will be included instead.
-			// TODO: check state once stator is implemented
-			//if topology.Nodes(nodes).ContainsID(node.ID) && node.State == disco.NodeStateStarted {
-			if topology.Nodes(nodes).ContainsID(node.ID) {
+			if topology.Nodes(nodes).ContainsID(node.ID) && node.State == disco.NodeStateStarted {
 				m[node] = append(m[node], shard)
 				continue loop
 			}
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 2803a2c5d..ee783d2ec 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ func (s *Server) Open() error {
 		ID:        s.nodeID,
 		URI:       s.uri,
 		GRPCURI:   s.grpcURI,
-		State:     string(disco.NodeStateUnknown),
+		State:     disco.NodeStateUnknown,
 		IsPrimary: s.IsPrimary(),
 	}
 
diff --git a/topology/node.go b/topology/node.go
index c691c18a3..6fde62c7c 100644
--- a/topology/node.go
+++ b/topology/node.go
@@ -17,16 +17,17 @@ package topology
 import (
 	"fmt"
 
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/disco"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/net"
 )
 
 // Node represents a node in the cluster.
 type Node struct {
-	ID        string  `json:"id"`
-	URI       net.URI `json:"uri"`
-	GRPCURI   net.URI `json:"grpc-uri"`
-	IsPrimary bool    `json:"isPrimary"`
-	State     string  `json:"state"`
+	ID        string          `json:"id"`
+	URI       net.URI         `json:"uri"`
+	GRPCURI   net.URI         `json:"grpc-uri"`
+	IsPrimary bool            `json:"isPrimary"`
+	State     disco.NodeState `json:"state"`
 }
 
 func (n *Node) Clone() *Node {