diff --git a/src/content/mods.cpp b/src/content/mods.cpp
index 1c100f5a11563..5a9281f7d166c 100644
--- a/src/content/mods.cpp
+++ b/src/content/mods.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "porting.h"
 #include "convert_json.h"
 #include "script/common/c_internal.h"
+#include "exceptions.h"
 
 void ModSpec::checkAndLog() const
 {
diff --git a/src/content/subgames.cpp b/src/content/subgames.cpp
index 980f0188cfcf1..e9e3a72d81e8f 100644
--- a/src/content/subgames.cpp
+++ b/src/content/subgames.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include "defaultsettings.h" // for set_default_settings
 #include "map_settings_manager.h"
 #include "util/string.h"
+#include "exceptions.h"
 
 // The maximum number of identical world names allowed
 #define MAX_WORLD_NAMES 100
diff --git a/src/gui/guiEngine.cpp b/src/gui/guiEngine.cpp
index 21b529d0beeca..9402b477057c7 100644
--- a/src/gui/guiEngine.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/guiEngine.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include <IGUIStaticText.h>
 #include "client/imagefilters.h"
 #include "util/tracy_wrapper.h"
+#include "script/common/c_types.h" // LuaError
 
 #if USE_SOUND
 	#include "client/sound/sound_openal.h"
diff --git a/src/hud.h b/src/hud.h
index 214d1451248cd..2b02e998836f8 100644
--- a/src/hud.h
+++ b/src/hud.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "irrlichttypes_bloated.h"
 #include <string>
-#include "common/c_types.h"
+#include "util/enum_string.h"
 
 #define HUD_DIR_LEFT_RIGHT 0
 #define HUD_DIR_RIGHT_LEFT 1
diff --git a/src/script/common/CMakeLists.txt b/src/script/common/CMakeLists.txt
index 3e84b46c76a7a..f771861d7083e 100644
--- a/src/script/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/script/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 set(common_SCRIPT_COMMON_SRCS
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/c_content.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/c_converter.cpp
-	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/c_types.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/c_internal.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/c_packer.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/helper.cpp
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_content.cpp b/src/script/common/c_content.cpp
index f6340ff291ef1..146609185441f 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_content.cpp
+++ b/src/script/common/c_content.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,23 @@ struct EnumString es_TileAnimationType[] =
 	{0, nullptr},
 };
 
+struct EnumString es_ItemType[] =
+{
+	{ITEM_NONE, "none"},
+	{ITEM_NODE, "node"},
+	{ITEM_CRAFT, "craft"},
+	{ITEM_TOOL, "tool"},
+	{0, NULL},
+};
+
+struct EnumString es_TouchInteractionMode[] =
+{
+	{LONG_DIG_SHORT_PLACE, "long_dig_short_place"},
+	{SHORT_DIG_LONG_PLACE, "short_dig_long_place"},
+	{TouchInteractionMode_USER, "user"},
+	{0, NULL},
+};
+
 /******************************************************************************/
 void read_item_definition(lua_State* L, int index,
 		const ItemDefinition &default_def, ItemDefinition &def)
@@ -175,7 +192,7 @@ void push_item_definition(lua_State *L, const ItemDefinition &i)
 
 void push_item_definition_full(lua_State *L, const ItemDefinition &i)
 {
-	std::string type(es_ItemType[(int)i.type].str);
+	std::string type(enum_to_string(es_ItemType, i.type));
 
 	lua_newtable(L);
 	lua_pushstring(L, i.name.c_str());
@@ -233,11 +250,11 @@ void push_item_definition_full(lua_State *L, const ItemDefinition &i)
 
 	lua_createtable(L, 0, 3);
 	const TouchInteraction &inter = i.touch_interaction;
-	lua_pushstring(L, es_TouchInteractionMode[inter.pointed_nothing].str);
+	lua_pushstring(L, enum_to_string(es_TouchInteractionMode, inter.pointed_nothing));
 	lua_setfield(L, -2,"pointed_nothing");
-	lua_pushstring(L, es_TouchInteractionMode[inter.pointed_node].str);
+	lua_pushstring(L, enum_to_string(es_TouchInteractionMode, inter.pointed_node));
 	lua_setfield(L, -2,"pointed_node");
-	lua_pushstring(L, es_TouchInteractionMode[inter.pointed_object].str);
+	lua_pushstring(L, enum_to_string(es_TouchInteractionMode, inter.pointed_object));
 	lua_setfield(L, -2,"pointed_object");
 	lua_setfield(L, -2, "touch_interaction");
 }
@@ -955,10 +972,10 @@ void read_content_features(lua_State *L, ContentFeatures &f, int index)
 
 void push_content_features(lua_State *L, const ContentFeatures &c)
 {
-	std::string paramtype(ScriptApiNode::es_ContentParamType[(int)c.param_type].str);
-	std::string paramtype2(ScriptApiNode::es_ContentParamType2[(int)c.param_type_2].str);
-	std::string drawtype(ScriptApiNode::es_DrawType[(int)c.drawtype].str);
-	std::string liquid_type(ScriptApiNode::es_LiquidType[(int)c.liquid_type].str);
+	std::string paramtype(enum_to_string(ScriptApiNode::es_ContentParamType, c.param_type));
+	std::string paramtype2(enum_to_string(ScriptApiNode::es_ContentParamType2, c.param_type_2));
+	std::string drawtype(enum_to_string(ScriptApiNode::es_DrawType, c.drawtype));
+	std::string liquid_type(enum_to_string(ScriptApiNode::es_LiquidType, c.liquid_type));
 
 	/* Missing "tiles" because I don't see a usecase (at least not yet). */
 
@@ -1325,21 +1342,6 @@ int getenumfield(lua_State *L, int table,
 	return result;
 }
 
-/******************************************************************************/
-bool string_to_enum(const EnumString *spec, int &result,
-		const std::string &str)
-{
-	const EnumString *esp = spec;
-	while(esp->str){
-		if (!strcmp(str.c_str(), esp->str)) {
-			result = esp->num;
-			return true;
-		}
-		esp++;
-	}
-	return false;
-}
-
 /******************************************************************************/
 ItemStack read_item(lua_State* L, int index, IItemDefManager *idef)
 {
@@ -1456,7 +1458,7 @@ void push_wear_bar_params(lua_State *L,
 		const WearBarParams &params)
 {
 	lua_newtable(L);
-	setstringfield(L, -1, "blend", WearBarParams::es_BlendMode[params.blend].str);
+	setstringfield(L, -1, "blend", enum_to_string(WearBarParams::es_BlendMode, params.blend));
 
 	lua_newtable(L);
 	for (const std::pair<const f32, const video::SColor> item: params.colorStops) {
@@ -2312,7 +2314,7 @@ void push_hud_element(lua_State *L, HudElement *elem)
 {
 	lua_newtable(L);
 
-	lua_pushstring(L, es_HudElementType[(u8)elem->type].str);
+	lua_pushstring(L, enum_to_string(es_HudElementType, elem->type));
 	lua_setfield(L, -2, "type");
 
 	push_v2f(L, elem->pos);
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_content.h b/src/script/common/c_content.h
index 80e85f93f80e5..011aa355eccfb 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_content.h
+++ b/src/script/common/c_content.h
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "itemgroup.h"
 #include "itemdef.h"
 #include "util/pointabilities.h"
-#include "c_types.h"
 // We do an explicit path include because by default c_content.h include src/client/hud.h
 // prior to the src/hud.h, which is not good on server only build
 #include "../../hud.h"
@@ -58,6 +57,8 @@ struct collisionMoveResult;
 namespace treegen { struct TreeDef; }
 
 extern struct EnumString es_TileAnimationType[];
+extern struct EnumString es_ItemType[];
+extern struct EnumString es_TouchInteractionMode[];
 
 
 extern const std::array<const char *, 33> object_property_keys;
@@ -141,9 +142,6 @@ std::vector<ItemStack> read_items(lua_State *L, int index, IGameDef* gdef);
 
 void push_simplesoundspec(lua_State *L, const SoundSpec &spec);
 
-bool string_to_enum(const EnumString *spec,
-		int &result, const std::string &str);
-
 bool read_noiseparams(lua_State *L, int index, NoiseParams *np);
 void push_noiseparams(lua_State *L, NoiseParams *np);
 
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_converter.cpp b/src/script/common/c_converter.cpp
index 4e9175f533cf0..138063d54b2be 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_converter.cpp
+++ b/src/script/common/c_converter.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "constants.h"
 #include <set>
 #include <cmath>
+#include "common/c_types.h"
 
 
 #define CHECK_TYPE(index, name, type) do { \
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_converter.h b/src/script/common/c_converter.h
index 947fcd8035fda..39f6d3f7a6b38 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_converter.h
+++ b/src/script/common/c_converter.h
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 #include <string_view>
 
 #include "irrlichttypes_bloated.h"
-#include "common/c_types.h"
 
 extern "C" {
 #include <lua.h>
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_internal.cpp b/src/script/common/c_internal.cpp
index eb74bfa8e865a..7d489fa7680c7 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_internal.cpp
+++ b/src/script/common/c_internal.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include "porting.h"
 #include "settings.h"
 #include <algorithm> // std::find
+#include "common/c_types.h" // LuaError
 
 std::string script_get_backtrace(lua_State *L)
 {
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_internal.h b/src/script/common/c_internal.h
index ce948801b619b..e5b33f9eb1b1c 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_internal.h
+++ b/src/script/common/c_internal.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ extern "C" {
 }
 
 #include "config.h"
-#include "common/c_types.h"
+#include "util/enum_string.h"
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_packer.cpp b/src/script/common/c_packer.cpp
index 0a4045e1b370f..7083e3f4a7786 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_packer.cpp
+++ b/src/script/common/c_packer.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "threading/mutex_auto_lock.h"
+#include "common/c_types.h" // LuaError
 
 extern "C" {
 #include <lauxlib.h>
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_types.cpp b/src/script/common/c_types.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 57d6c42444e05..0000000000000
--- a/src/script/common/c_types.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,27 +0,0 @@
-// Luanti
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
-// Copyright (C) 2013 celeron55, Perttu Ahola <celeron55@gmail.com>
-
-#include <iostream>
-
-#include "common/c_types.h"
-#include "common/c_internal.h"
-#include "itemdef.h"
-
-
-struct EnumString es_ItemType[] =
-	{
-		{ITEM_NONE, "none"},
-		{ITEM_NODE, "node"},
-		{ITEM_CRAFT, "craft"},
-		{ITEM_TOOL, "tool"},
-		{0, NULL},
-	};
-
-struct EnumString es_TouchInteractionMode[] =
-	{
-		{LONG_DIG_SHORT_PLACE, "long_dig_short_place"},
-		{SHORT_DIG_LONG_PLACE, "short_dig_long_place"},
-		{TouchInteractionMode_USER, "user"},
-		{0, NULL},
-	};
diff --git a/src/script/common/c_types.h b/src/script/common/c_types.h
index 6560524b8a9ea..160b29eb5721d 100644
--- a/src/script/common/c_types.h
+++ b/src/script/common/c_types.h
@@ -9,15 +9,8 @@ extern "C" {
 }
 
 #include <iostream>
-
 #include "exceptions.h"
 
-struct EnumString
-{
-	int num;
-	const char *str;
-};
-
 class StackUnroller
 {
 private:
@@ -41,7 +34,3 @@ class LuaError : public ModError
 public:
 	LuaError(const std::string &s) : ModError(s) {}
 };
-
-
-extern EnumString es_ItemType[];
-extern EnumString es_TouchInteractionMode[];
diff --git a/src/script/cpp_api/s_base.h b/src/script/cpp_api/s_base.h
index 135e9acfdbb9a..b532e9cd9907c 100644
--- a/src/script/cpp_api/s_base.h
+++ b/src/script/cpp_api/s_base.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ extern "C" {
 }
 
 #include "irrlichttypes.h"
-#include "common/c_types.h"
 #include "common/c_internal.h"
 #include "debug.h"
 #include "config.h"
diff --git a/src/script/cpp_api/s_internal.h b/src/script/cpp_api/s_internal.h
index 3379d15c6a512..dc5823df1f51a 100644
--- a/src/script/cpp_api/s_internal.h
+++ b/src/script/cpp_api/s_internal.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "common/c_internal.h"
 #include "cpp_api/s_base.h"
 #include "threading/mutex_auto_lock.h"
+#include "common/c_types.h"
 
 #ifdef SCRIPTAPI_LOCK_DEBUG
 #include <cassert>
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 407d43d1b2de7..ff2f8dbcf5b99 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "chatmessage.h"
 #include "sound.h"
 #include "translation.h"
+#include "script/common/c_types.h" // LuaError
 #include <atomic>
 #include <string>
 #include <list>
diff --git a/src/tool.cpp b/src/tool.cpp
index 43b3ebe25c140..7c942c0b4c051 100644
--- a/src/tool.cpp
+++ b/src/tool.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include "util/serialize.h"
 #include "util/numeric.h"
 #include "util/hex.h"
-#include "common/c_content.h"
 #include <json/json.h>
 
 
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ void WearBarParams::serializeJson(std::ostream &os) const
 		color_stops[ftos(item.first)] = encodeHexColorString(item.second);
 	}
 	root["color_stops"] = color_stops;
-	root["blend"] = WearBarParams::es_BlendMode[blend].str;
+	root["blend"] = enum_to_string(WearBarParams::es_BlendMode, blend);
 
 	fastWriteJson(root, os);
 }
diff --git a/src/tool.h b/src/tool.h
index 62b374d91872f..2e0fdfe2077b5 100644
--- a/src/tool.h
+++ b/src/tool.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "irrlichttypes.h"
 #include "itemgroup.h"
 #include "json-forwards.h"
-#include "common/c_types.h"
+#include "util/enum_string.h"
 #include <SColor.h>
 
 #include <string>
diff --git a/src/util/CMakeLists.txt b/src/util/CMakeLists.txt
index ec88a33c2bafc..7d5ac48fb094d 100644
--- a/src/util/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/util/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,4 +18,5 @@ set(util_SRCS
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/srp.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/timetaker.cpp
 	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/png.cpp
+	${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/enum_string.cpp
 	PARENT_SCOPE)
diff --git a/src/util/enum_string.cpp b/src/util/enum_string.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..5b35053d80d97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/enum_string.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// Luanti
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+// Copyright (C) 2025 cx384
+
+#include "util/enum_string.h"
+#include <cassert>
+
+bool string_to_enum(const EnumString *spec, int &result, std::string_view str)
+{
+	const EnumString *esp = spec;
+	while (esp->str) {
+		if (str == esp->str) {
+			assert(esp->num >= 0);
+			result = esp->num;
+			return true;
+		}
+		esp++;
+	}
+	return false;
+}
+
+const char *enum_to_string(const EnumString *spec, int num)
+{
+	if (num < 0)
+		return nullptr;
+	// assume array order matches enum order
+	auto *p = &spec[num];
+	assert(p->num == num);
+	assert(p->str);
+	return p->str;
+}
diff --git a/src/util/enum_string.h b/src/util/enum_string.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..c4f84ee09d4e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/enum_string.h
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// Luanti
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+// Copyright (C) 2025 cx384
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <string_view>
+
+struct EnumString
+{
+	int num;
+	const char *str;
+};
+
+bool string_to_enum(const EnumString *spec, int &result, std::string_view str);
+
+const char *enum_to_string(const EnumString *spec, int num);