diff --git a/examples/errors_all_options.php b/examples/errors_all_options.php
index 4fbeb9d..69773fa 100644
--- a/examples/errors_all_options.php
+++ b/examples/errors_all_options.php
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 // the http status code
 // @note it is better to set this on the jsonapi\errors object ..
 //       .. as only a single one can be consumed by the browser
-$error->set_http_status($http_status=404);
+$error->set_http_status($http_status=\alsvanzelf\jsonapi\base::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
 
 // if not set during construction, set them here
 $error->set_error_message($error_message='too much options');
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
  */
 
 $another_error  = new \alsvanzelf\jsonapi\error('kiss', 'Error objects can be small and simple as well.');
-$some_exception = new Exception('please don\'t throw things', 500);
+$some_exception = new Exception('please don\'t throw things', \alsvanzelf\jsonapi\base::STATUS_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR);
 
 /**
  * building up the json response
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 $jsonapi->add_error($another_error);
 $jsonapi->add_exception($some_exception);
 
-$jsonapi->set_http_status(400);
+$jsonapi->set_http_status(\alsvanzelf\jsonapi\base::STATUS_BAD_REQUEST);
 
 /**
  * sending the response
diff --git a/examples/errors_exception.php b/examples/errors_exception.php
index 6fcaccc..f4ed2eb 100644
--- a/examples/errors_exception.php
+++ b/examples/errors_exception.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  */
 
 try {
-	throw new Exception('unknown user', 404);
+	throw new Exception('unknown user', \alsvanzelf\jsonapi\base::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
 }
 catch (Exception $e) {
 	$jsonapi = new \alsvanzelf\jsonapi\errors($e);
diff --git a/src/base.php b/src/base.php
index a6d3587..7230799 100644
--- a/src/base.php
+++ b/src/base.php
@@ -10,6 +10,18 @@ class base {
 const CONTENT_TYPE_OFFICIAL = 'application/vnd.api+json';
 const CONTENT_TYPE_DEBUG = 'application/json';
 
+/**
+ * advised http status codes
+ */
+const STATUS_BAD_REQUEST           = 400;
+const STATUS_UNAUTHORIZED          = 401;
+const STATUS_FORBIDDEN             = 403;
+const STATUS_NOT_FOUND             = 404;
+const STATUS_METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED    = 405;
+const STATUS_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY  = 422;
+const STATUS_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR = 500;
+const STATUS_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE   = 503;
+
 /**
  * internal data containers
  */
diff --git a/src/errors.php b/src/errors.php
index a25b4c9..d5c8a47 100644
--- a/src/errors.php
+++ b/src/errors.php
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 class errors extends base {
 
 /**
- * advised http status codes
+ * http status messages used for string output
  */
 public static $http_status_messages = array(
 	400 => 'Bad Request',