diff --git a/tools/elog-gen.py b/tools/elog-gen.py
index 57d5050..c72aa98 100755
--- a/tools/elog-gen.py
+++ b/tools/elog-gen.py
@@ -19,6 +19,21 @@
 import os
 
 
+def get_cpp_type(i_type):
+    typeMap = {
+        'int16': 'int16_t',
+        'int32': 'int32_t',
+        'int64': 'int64_t',
+        'uint16': 'uint16_t',
+        'uint32': 'uint32_t',
+        'uint64': 'uint64_t',
+        'double': 'double',
+        # const char* aids usage of constexpr
+        'string': 'const char*'}
+
+    return typeMap[i_type]
+
+
 def gen_elog_hpp(i_rootdir, i_elog_yaml, i_elog_meta_yaml,
                  i_input_mako, i_output_hpp):
     r"""
@@ -66,7 +81,7 @@
             meta_data[str_short] = {}
             meta_data[str_short]['str'] = j['str']
             meta_data[str_short]['str_short'] = str_short
-            meta_data[str_short]['type'] = j['type']
+            meta_data[str_short]['type'] = get_cpp_type(j['type'])
         meta.append(tmp_meta)
         err_count += 1
 
@@ -83,7 +98,7 @@
     f = open(i_output_hpp, 'w')
     f.write(mytemplate.render(errors=errors, error_msg=error_msg,
                               error_lvl=error_lvl, meta=meta,
-                              meta_data=meta_data,elog_yaml=i_elog_yaml))
+                              meta_data=meta_data, elog_yaml=i_elog_yaml))
     f.close()
 
 
diff --git a/tools/example/xyz/openbmc_project/Example/Elog.metadata.yaml b/tools/example/xyz/openbmc_project/Example/Elog.metadata.yaml
index 9ca4a4e..244127c 100644
--- a/tools/example/xyz/openbmc_project/Example/Elog.metadata.yaml
+++ b/tools/example/xyz/openbmc_project/Example/Elog.metadata.yaml
@@ -2,18 +2,18 @@
   level: INFO
   meta:
     - str: "ERRNUM=0x%.4X"
-      type: int
+      type: uint16
     - str: FILE_PATH=%s
-      type: const char*
+      type: string
     - str: FILE_NAME=%s
-      type: const char*
+      type: string
 
 - name: TestErrorTwo
   level: ERR
   meta:
         - str: DEV_ADDR=0x%.8X
-          type: int
+          type: uint32
         - str: DEV_ID=%u
-          type: int
+          type: uint32
         - str: DEV_NAME=%s
-          type: const char*
+          type: string
diff --git a/tools/phosphor-logging/templates/elog-gen-template.mako.hpp b/tools/phosphor-logging/templates/elog-gen-template.mako.hpp
index b9d3d5e..5c11c1b 100644
--- a/tools/phosphor-logging/templates/elog-gen-template.mako.hpp
+++ b/tools/phosphor-logging/templates/elog-gen-template.mako.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 // See elog-gen.py for more details
 #pragma once
 
+#include <string>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include "log.hpp"