diff --git a/pkg/cluster/pod.go b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
index 60106834c..9716e2a1c 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/pod.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/spec"
 	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
+	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/util/constants"
 )
 
 func (c *Cluster) listPods() ([]v1.Pod, error) {
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) recreatePods() error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if role == "master" {
+		if role == constants.PodRoleMaster {
 			masterPod = pod
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/sync.go b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
index e81eec8d1..9d8720a34 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/sync.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/spec"
 	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/util"
+	"github.bus.zalan.do/acid/postgres-operator/pkg/util/constants"
 )
 
 func (c *Cluster) SyncCluster() {
@@ -173,7 +174,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) syncPods() error {
 			c.logPodChanges(&pod, curSs, reason)
 		}
 
-		if util.PodSpiloRole(&pod) == "master" {
+		if util.PodSpiloRole(&pod) == constants.PodRoleMaster {
 			//TODO: do manual failover first
 		}
 		err = c.recreatePod(pod)
diff --git a/pkg/cluster/util.go b/pkg/cluster/util.go
index 899432f91..be13a27d2 100644
--- a/pkg/cluster/util.go
+++ b/pkg/cluster/util.go
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func (c *Cluster) waitForPodLabel(podEvents chan spec.PodEvent) error {
 			// We cannot assume any role of the newly created pod. Normally, for a multi-pod cluster
 			// we should observe the 'replica' value, but it could be that some pods are not allowed
 			// to promote, therefore, the new pod could be a master as well.
-			if role == "master" || role == "replica" {
+			if role == constants.PodRoleMaster || role == constants.PodRoleReplica {
 				return nil
 			}
 		case <-time.After(c.OpConfig.PodLabelWaitTimeout):
@@ -203,10 +203,10 @@ func (c *Cluster) waitPodLabelsReady() error {
 		LabelSelector: ls.String(),
 	}
 	masterListOption := v1.ListOptions{
-		LabelSelector: labels.Merge(ls, labels.Set{"spilo-role": "master"}).String(),
+		LabelSelector: labels.Merge(ls, labels.Set{"spilo-role": constants.PodRoleMaster}).String(),
 	}
 	replicaListOption := v1.ListOptions{
-		LabelSelector: labels.Merge(ls, labels.Set{"spilo-role": "replica"}).String(),
+		LabelSelector: labels.Merge(ls, labels.Set{"spilo-role": constants.PodRoleReplica}).String(),
 	}
 	pods, err := c.KubeClient.Pods(namespace).List(listOptions)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/util/constants/constants.go b/pkg/util/constants/constants.go
index bc4b48605..c9c193b7a 100644
--- a/pkg/util/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/util/constants/constants.go
@@ -12,4 +12,6 @@ const (
 	ZalandoDnsNameAnnotation = "zalando.org/dnsname"
 	KubeIAmAnnotation        = "iam.amazonaws.com/role"
 	ResourceName             = TPRName + "s"
+	PodRoleMaster            = "master"
+	PodRoleReplica           = "replica"
 )