diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 044a8f1e..cd014574 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -17,43 +17,47 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-struct ParsedLines { BufferLines lines; bool bom, crlf; };
+struct ParsedLines
+{
+    BufferLines lines;
+    ByteOrderMark bom = ByteOrderMark::None;
+    EolFormat eolformat = EolFormat::Lf;
+};
 
 static ParsedLines parse_lines(StringView data)
 {
-    bool bom = false, crlf = false;
+    ParsedLines res;
     const char* pos = data.begin();
     if (data.substr(0, 3_byte) == "\xEF\xBB\xBF")
     {
-        bom = true;
+        res.bom = ByteOrderMark::Utf8;
         pos = data.begin() + 3;
     }
 
-    BufferLines lines;
     while (pos < data.end())
     {
         const char* line_end = pos;
         while (line_end < data.end() and *line_end != '\r' and *line_end != '\n')
              ++line_end;
 
-        lines.emplace_back(StringData::create({pos, line_end}, '\n'));
+        res.lines.emplace_back(StringData::create({pos, line_end}, '\n'));
 
         if (line_end+1 != data.end() and *line_end == '\r' and *(line_end+1) == '\n')
         {
-            crlf = true;
+            res.eolformat = EolFormat::Crlf;
             pos = line_end + 2;
         }
         else
             pos = line_end + 1;
     }
 
-    return { std::move(lines), bom, crlf };
+    return res;
 }
 
 static void apply_options(OptionManager& options, const ParsedLines& parsed_lines)
 {
-    options.get_local_option("eolformat").set<String>(parsed_lines.crlf ? "crlf" : "lf");
-    options.get_local_option("BOM").set<String>(parsed_lines.bom ? "utf-8" : "no");
+    options.get_local_option("eolformat").set(parsed_lines.eolformat);
+    options.get_local_option("BOM").set(parsed_lines.bom);
 }
 
 Buffer::Buffer(String name, Flags flags, StringView data,
diff --git a/src/buffer.hh b/src/buffer.hh
index b91a7ed1..60820487 100644
--- a/src/buffer.hh
+++ b/src/buffer.hh
@@ -12,6 +12,34 @@
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
+enum class EolFormat
+{
+    Lf,
+    Crlf
+};
+
+constexpr Array<EnumDesc<EolFormat>, 2> enum_desc(EolFormat)
+{
+    return { {
+        { EolFormat::Lf, "lf" },
+        { EolFormat::Crlf, "crlf" },
+    } };
+}
+
+enum class ByteOrderMark
+{
+    None,
+    Utf8
+};
+
+constexpr Array<EnumDesc<ByteOrderMark>, 2> enum_desc(ByteOrderMark)
+{
+    return { {
+        { ByteOrderMark::None, "none" },
+        { ByteOrderMark::Utf8, "utf8" },
+    } };
+}
+
 class Buffer;
 
 constexpr timespec InvalidTime = { -1, -1 };
diff --git a/src/file.cc b/src/file.cc
index 73f50ca7..bc9c1cf9 100644
--- a/src/file.cc
+++ b/src/file.cc
@@ -215,14 +215,14 @@ void write(int fd, StringView data)
 
 void write_buffer_to_fd(Buffer& buffer, int fd)
 {
-    const String& eolformat = buffer.options()["eolformat"].get<String>();
+    auto eolformat = buffer.options()["eolformat"].get<EolFormat>();
     StringView eoldata;
-    if (eolformat == "crlf")
+    if (eolformat == EolFormat::Crlf)
         eoldata = "\r\n";
     else
         eoldata = "\n";
 
-    if (buffer.options()["BOM"].get<String>() == "utf-8")
+    if (buffer.options()["BOM"].get<ByteOrderMark>() == ByteOrderMark::Utf8)
         ::write(fd, "\xEF\xBB\xBF", 3);
 
     for (LineCount i = 0; i < buffer.line_count(); ++i)
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 91870c12..340f7cbd 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -188,9 +188,9 @@ void register_options()
     reg.declare_option("scrolloff",
                        "number of lines and columns to keep visible main cursor when scrolling",
                        CharCoord{0,0});
-    reg.declare_option("eolformat", "end of line format: 'crlf' or 'lf'", "lf"_str);
-    reg.declare_option("BOM", "insert a byte order mark when writing buffer",
-                       "no"_str);
+    reg.declare_option("eolformat", "end of line format: crlf or lf", EolFormat::Lf);
+    reg.declare_option("BOM", "insert a byte order mark when writing buffer (none or utf8)",
+                       ByteOrderMark::None);
     reg.declare_option("complete_prefix",
                        "complete up to common prefix in tab completion",
                        true);