diff --git a/examples/somersaultecu.py b/examples/somersaultecu.py
index 864fdd1c..6eff7daa 100755
--- a/examples/somersaultecu.py
+++ b/examples/somersaultecu.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 from odxtools.parentref import ParentRef
 from odxtools.physicaltype import PhysicalType
 from odxtools.service import DiagService
-from odxtools.singleecujob import ProgCode, SingleEcuJob
+from odxtools.singleecujob import ProgCode, ProgCodeSyntax, SingleEcuJob
 from odxtools.structures import Request, Response
 from odxtools.table import Table, TableRow
 from odxtools.units import PhysicalDimension, Unit, UnitGroup, UnitSpec
@@ -1781,7 +1781,7 @@ class SomersaultSID(IntEnum):
                 ProgCode(
                     code_file="jobs.jar",
                     encryption=None,
-                    syntax="JAR",
+                    syntax=ProgCodeSyntax.JAR,
                     entrypoint="com.supervisor.jobs.CompulsoryProgram",
                     revision="1.23.4",
                     library_refs=[],
diff --git a/odxtools/singleecujob.py b/odxtools/singleecujob.py
index 8f54fe5d..15ed42f1 100644
--- a/odxtools/singleecujob.py
+++ b/odxtools/singleecujob.py
@@ -167,11 +167,17 @@ def dop(self) -> Optional[DopBase]:
         return self._dop
 
 
+class ProgCodeSyntax(Enum):
+    JAVA = "JAVA"
+    CLASS = "CLASS"
+    JAR = "JAR"
+
+
 @dataclass
 class ProgCode:
     """A reference to code that is executed by a single ECU job"""
     code_file: str
-    syntax: Literal["JAVA", "CLASS", "JAR"]
+    syntax: ProgCodeSyntax
     revision: str
     encryption: Optional[str]
     entrypoint: Optional[str]
@@ -183,7 +189,14 @@ def from_et(et_element: Element, doc_frags: List[OdxDocFragment]) -> "ProgCode":
 
         encryption = et_element.findtext("ENCRYPTION")
 
-        syntax = et_element.findtext("SYNTAX")
+        syntax = ProgCodeSyntax("JAR")
+        try:
+            syntax = ProgCodeSyntax(odxrequire(et_element.findtext("SYNTAX")))
+        except ValueError as e:
+            try:
+                odxraise(f"Could not parse program code syntax")
+            except Exception as ee:
+                raise ee from e
 
         revision = odxrequire(et_element.findtext("REVISION"))
         entrypoint = et_element.findtext("ENTRYPOINT")
diff --git a/odxtools/templates/macros/printSingleEcuJob.xml.jinja2 b/odxtools/templates/macros/printSingleEcuJob.xml.jinja2
index 5ea53e15..ae163a17 100644
--- a/odxtools/templates/macros/printSingleEcuJob.xml.jinja2
+++ b/odxtools/templates/macros/printSingleEcuJob.xml.jinja2
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 {%- if prog.encryption %}
  <ENCRYPTION>{{prog.encryption}}</ENCRYPTION>
 {%- endif %}
- <SYNTAX>{{prog.syntax}}</SYNTAX>
+ <SYNTAX>{{prog.syntax.value}}</SYNTAX>
  <REVISION>{{prog.revision}}</REVISION>
 {%- if prog.entrypoint %}
  <ENTRYPOINT>{{prog.entrypoint}}</ENTRYPOINT>
diff --git a/tests/test_singleecujob.py b/tests/test_singleecujob.py
index 68d6864b..32cc93c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_singleecujob.py
+++ b/tests/test_singleecujob.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
 from odxtools.odxlink import OdxDocFragment, OdxLinkDatabase, OdxLinkId, OdxLinkRef
 from odxtools.odxtypes import DataType
 from odxtools.physicaltype import PhysicalType
-from odxtools.singleecujob import InputParam, NegOutputParam, OutputParam, ProgCode, SingleEcuJob
+from odxtools.singleecujob import (InputParam, NegOutputParam, OutputParam, ProgCode,
+                                   ProgCodeSyntax, SingleEcuJob)
 from odxtools.utils import short_name_as_id
 from odxtools.write_pdx_file import jinja2_odxraise_helper, make_bool_xml_attrib, make_xml_attrib
 
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ class Context(NamedTuple):
                 ProgCode(
                     code_file="abc.jar",
                     encryption="RSA512",
-                    syntax="JAR",
+                    syntax=ProgCodeSyntax.JAR,
                     revision="0.12.34",
                     entrypoint="CalledClass",
                     library_refs=[OdxLinkRef("my.favourite.lib", doc_frags)],
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ class Context(NamedTuple):
                     <PROG-CODE>
                         <CODE-FILE>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].code_file}</CODE-FILE>
                         <ENCRYPTION>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].encryption}</ENCRYPTION>
-                        <SYNTAX>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].syntax}</SYNTAX>
+                        <SYNTAX>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].syntax.value}</SYNTAX>
                         <REVISION>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].revision}</REVISION>
                         <ENTRYPOINT>{self.singleecujob_object.prog_codes[0].entrypoint}</ENTRYPOINT>
                         <LIBRARY-REFS>