diff --git a/syft/source/file_type.go b/syft/source/file_type.go
index 3718b12c4..f0dd33bc1 100644
--- a/syft/source/file_type.go
+++ b/syft/source/file_type.go
@@ -1,33 +1,35 @@
 package source
 
+import "archive/tar"
+
 const (
-	UnknownFileType FileType = "unknownFileType"
-	RegularFile     FileType = "regularFile"
-	HardLink        FileType = "hardLink"
-	SymbolicLink    FileType = "symbolicLink"
-	CharacterDevice FileType = "characterDevice"
-	BlockDevice     FileType = "blockDevice"
-	Directory       FileType = "directory"
-	FIFONode        FileType = "fifoNode"
+	UnknownFileType FileType = "UnknownFileType"
+	RegularFile     FileType = "RegularFile"
+	HardLink        FileType = "HardLink"
+	SymbolicLink    FileType = "SymbolicLink"
+	CharacterDevice FileType = "CharacterDevice"
+	BlockDevice     FileType = "BlockDevice"
+	Directory       FileType = "Directory"
+	FIFONode        FileType = "FIFONode"
 )
 
 type FileType string
 
 func newFileTypeFromTarHeaderTypeFlag(flag byte) FileType {
 	switch flag {
-	case '0', '\x00':
+	case tar.TypeReg, tar.TypeRegA:
 		return RegularFile
-	case '1':
+	case tar.TypeLink:
 		return HardLink
-	case '2':
+	case tar.TypeSymlink:
 		return SymbolicLink
-	case '3':
+	case tar.TypeChar:
 		return CharacterDevice
-	case '4':
+	case tar.TypeBlock:
 		return BlockDevice
-	case '5':
+	case tar.TypeDir:
 		return Directory
-	case '6':
+	case tar.TypeFifo:
 		return FIFONode
 	}
 	return UnknownFileType
diff --git a/test/cli/power_user_cmd_test.go b/test/cli/power_user_cmd_test.go
index 603c1a18d..5bc16a759 100644
--- a/test/cli/power_user_cmd_test.go
+++ b/test/cli/power_user_cmd_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func TestPowerUserCmdFlags(t *testing.T) {
 			args: []string{"power-user", request},
 			assertions: []traitAssertion{
 				assertNotInOutput(" command is deprecated"),     // only the root command should be deprecated
-				assertInOutput(`"type": "regularFile"`),         // proof of file-metadata data
+				assertInOutput(`"type": "RegularFile"`),         // proof of file-metadata data
 				assertInOutput(`"algorithm": "sha256"`),         // proof of file-metadata default digest algorithm of sha256
 				assertInOutput(`"metadataType": "ApkMetadata"`), // proof of package artifacts data
 				assertSuccessfulReturnCode,