diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 3e1cd850dad4c..d39a891f8b07b 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -588,9 +588,9 @@ bool CNode::IsBlockRelayOnly() const {
     return (ignores_incoming_txs && !HasPermission(NetPermissionFlags::Relay)) || IsBlockOnlyConn();
 }
 
-std::string CNode::ConnectionTypeAsString() const
+std::string ConnectionTypeAsString(ConnectionType conn_type)
 {
-    switch (m_conn_type) {
+    switch (conn_type) {
     case ConnectionType::INBOUND:
         return "inbound";
     case ConnectionType::MANUAL:
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ void CNode::copyStats(CNodeStats &stats, const std::vector<bool> &m_asmap)
         X(verifiedPubKeyHash);
     }
     X(m_masternode_connection);
-    stats.m_conn_type_string = ConnectionTypeAsString();
+    X(m_conn_type);
 }
 #undef X
 
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index 75bfe72bac35e..a2a11b346c20e 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -213,6 +213,8 @@ enum class ConnectionType {
     ADDR_FETCH,
 };
 
+/** Convert ConnectionType enum to a string value */
+std::string ConnectionTypeAsString(ConnectionType conn_type);
 void Discover();
 uint16_t GetListenPort();
 
@@ -307,7 +309,7 @@ class CNodeStats
     // In case this is a verified MN, this value is the hashed operator pubkey of the MN
     uint256 verifiedPubKeyHash;
     bool m_masternode_connection;
-    std::string m_conn_type_string;
+    ConnectionType m_conn_type;
 };
 
 
@@ -733,7 +735,7 @@ class CNode
     void MaybeSetAddrName(const std::string& addrNameIn);
 
 
-    std::string ConnectionTypeAsString() const;
+    std::string ConnectionTypeAsString() const { return ::ConnectionTypeAsString(m_conn_type); }
 
     /** A ping-pong round trip has completed successfully. Update latest and minimum ping times. */
     void PongReceived(std::chrono::microseconds ping_time) {
diff --git a/src/rpc/net.cpp b/src/rpc/net.cpp
index ef2222bb6924d..720dc95a65b74 100644
--- a/src/rpc/net.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/net.cpp
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ static RPCHelpMan getpeerinfo()
                 recvPerMsgCmd.pushKV(i.first, i.second);
         }
         obj.pushKV("bytesrecv_per_msg", recvPerMsgCmd);
-        obj.pushKV("connection_type", stats.m_conn_type_string);
+        obj.pushKV("connection_type", ConnectionTypeAsString(stats.m_conn_type));
 
         ret.push_back(obj);
     }