diff --git a/include/libcamera/base/file.h b/include/libcamera/base/file.h
index 452a658b4..eebb24024 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/base/file.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/base/file.h
@@ -30,13 +30,15 @@ public:
 
 	using MapFlags = Flags<MapFlag>;
 
-	enum OpenMode {
+	enum OpenModeFlag {
 		NotOpen = 0,
 		ReadOnly = (1 << 0),
 		WriteOnly = (1 << 1),
 		ReadWrite = ReadOnly | WriteOnly,
 	};
 
+	using OpenMode = Flags<OpenModeFlag>;
+
 	File(const std::string &name);
 	File();
 	~File();
diff --git a/src/libcamera/base/file.cpp b/src/libcamera/base/file.cpp
index 944918f24..1c5879b3b 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/base/file.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/base/file.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(File)
  */
 
 /**
- * \enum File::OpenMode
+ * \enum File::OpenModeFlag
  * \brief Mode in which a file is opened
  * \var File::NotOpen
  * \brief The file is not open
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(File)
  * \brief The file is open for reading and writing
  */
 
+/**
+ * \typedef File::OpenMode
+ * \brief A bitwise combination of File::OpenModeFlag values
+ */
+
 /**
  * \brief Construct a File to represent the file \a name
  * \param[in] name The file name
@@ -168,7 +173,7 @@ bool File::open(File::OpenMode mode)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	int flags = (mode & ReadWrite) - 1;
+	int flags = static_cast<OpenMode::Type>(mode & ReadWrite) - 1;
 	if (mode & WriteOnly)
 		flags |= O_CREAT;