diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
index 3d9e457..9f801a3 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp
@@ -66,5 +66,21 @@
     slic = 'S',
 };
 
+/**
+ * @brief Useful event scope values
+ */
+enum class EventScope
+{
+    entirePlatform = 0x03
+};
+
+/**
+ * @brief Useful event type values
+ */
+enum class EventType
+{
+    notApplicable = 0x00
+};
+
 } // namespace pels
 } // namespace openpower
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
index e5e8abb..6dfbc09 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "user_header.hpp"
 
 #include "pel_types.hpp"
+#include "severity.hpp"
 
 #include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
 
@@ -25,6 +26,43 @@
            << _actionFlags << _reserved4Byte2;
 }
 
+UserHeader::UserHeader(const message::Entry& entry,
+                       phosphor::logging::Entry::Level severity)
+{
+    _header.id = static_cast<uint16_t>(SectionID::userHeader);
+    _header.size = UserHeader::flattenedSize();
+    _header.version = userHeaderVersion;
+    _header.subType = 0;
+    _header.componentID = static_cast<uint16_t>(ComponentID::phosphorLogging);
+
+    _eventSubsystem = entry.subsystem;
+
+    _eventScope = entry.eventScope.value_or(
+        static_cast<uint8_t>(EventScope::entirePlatform));
+
+    // Get the severity from the registry if it's there, otherwise get it
+    // from the OpenBMC event log severity value.
+    _eventSeverity =
+        entry.severity.value_or(convertOBMCSeverityToPEL(severity));
+
+    // TODO: ibm-dev/dev/#1144 Handle manufacturing sev & action flags
+
+    _eventType = entry.eventType.value_or(
+        static_cast<uint8_t>(EventType::notApplicable));
+
+    _reserved4Byte1 = 0;
+
+    // No uses for problem domain or vector
+    _problemDomain = 0;
+    _problemVector = 0;
+
+    _actionFlags = entry.actionFlags;
+
+    _reserved4Byte2 = 0;
+
+    _valid = true;
+}
+
 UserHeader::UserHeader(Stream& pel)
 {
     try
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.hpp
index 5e64ff4..c1b6636 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.hpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.hpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "elog_entry.hpp"
+#include "registry.hpp"
 #include "section.hpp"
 #include "stream.hpp"
 
@@ -35,6 +37,17 @@
     /**
      * @brief Constructor
      *
+     * Creates a valid UserHeader with the passed in data.
+     *
+     * @param[in] entry - The message registry entry for this error
+     * @param[in] severity - The OpenBMC event log severity for this error
+     */
+    UserHeader(const message::Entry& entry,
+               phosphor::logging::Entry::Level severity);
+
+    /**
+     * @brief Constructor
+     *
      * Fills in this class's data fields from the stream.
      *
      * @param[in] pel - the PEL data stream
diff --git a/test/openpower-pels/user_header_test.cpp b/test/openpower-pels/user_header_test.cpp
index 0f22132..d3eedfc 100644
--- a/test/openpower-pels/user_header_test.cpp
+++ b/test/openpower-pels/user_header_test.cpp
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#include "elog_entry.hpp"
+#include "extensions/openpower-pels/pel_types.hpp"
 #include "extensions/openpower-pels/private_header.hpp"
 #include "extensions/openpower-pels/user_header.hpp"
 #include "pel_utils.hpp"
@@ -91,3 +93,70 @@
 
     EXPECT_EQ(uh.valid(), false);
 }
+
+// Construct the User Header from the message registry
+TEST(UserHeaderTest, ConstructionTest)
+{
+    using namespace openpower::pels::message;
+    Entry regEntry;
+
+    regEntry.name = "test";
+    regEntry.subsystem = 5;
+    regEntry.severity = 0x40;
+    regEntry.actionFlags = 0xC000;
+    regEntry.eventType = 1;
+    regEntry.eventScope = 2;
+
+    UserHeader uh(regEntry, phosphor::logging::Entry::Level::Error);
+
+    ASSERT_TRUE(uh.valid());
+    EXPECT_EQ(uh.header().id, 0x5548);
+    EXPECT_EQ(uh.header().size, UserHeader::flattenedSize());
+    EXPECT_EQ(uh.header().version, 0x01);
+    EXPECT_EQ(uh.header().subType, 0x00);
+    EXPECT_EQ(uh.header().componentID,
+              static_cast<uint16_t>(ComponentID::phosphorLogging));
+
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.subsystem(), 5);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.severity(), 0x40);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.eventType(), 1);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.scope(), 2);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.problemDomain(), 0);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.problemVector(), 0);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.actionFlags(), 0xC000);
+}
+
+// Test that the severity comes from the event log if not
+// in the message registry
+TEST(UserHeaderTest, UseEventLogSevTest)
+{
+    using namespace openpower::pels::message;
+    Entry regEntry;
+
+    regEntry.name = "test";
+    regEntry.subsystem = 5;
+    regEntry.actionFlags = 0xC000;
+    regEntry.eventType = 1;
+    regEntry.eventScope = 2;
+    // Leave off severity
+
+    UserHeader uh(regEntry, phosphor::logging::Entry::Level::Error);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.severity(), 0x40);
+}
+
+// Test that the optional event type & scope fields work
+TEST(UserHeaderTest, DefaultEventTypeScopeTest)
+{
+    using namespace openpower::pels::message;
+    Entry regEntry;
+
+    regEntry.name = "test";
+    regEntry.subsystem = 5;
+    regEntry.severity = 0x40;
+    regEntry.actionFlags = 0xC000;
+
+    UserHeader uh(regEntry, phosphor::logging::Entry::Level::Error);
+
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.eventType(), 0);
+    ASSERT_EQ(uh.scope(), 0x03);
+}