diff --git a/dbutils.c b/dbutils.c
index e2636ceb..88c67d0e 100644
--- a/dbutils.c
+++ b/dbutils.c
@@ -5050,13 +5050,12 @@ get_replication_lag_seconds(PGconn *conn)
 		log_warning("%s", PQerrorMessage(conn));
 		PQclear(res);
 
-		/* XXX magic number */
-		return -1;
+		return UNKNOWN_REPLICATION_LAG;
 	}
 
 	if (!PQntuples(res))
 	{
-		return -1;
+		return UNKNOWN_REPLICATION_LAG;
 	}
 
 	lag_seconds = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
diff --git a/repmgr-action-node.c b/repmgr-action-node.c
index 80587029..c02691ef 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-node.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-node.c
@@ -1408,7 +1408,7 @@ do_node_check_replication_lag(PGconn *conn, OutputMode mode, t_node_info *node_i
 					break;
 			}
 		}
-		else if (lag_seconds < 0)
+		else if (lag_seconds == UNKNOWN_REPLICATION_LAG)
 		{
 			status = CHECK_STATUS_UNKNOWN;
 
diff --git a/repmgr-action-standby.c b/repmgr-action-standby.c
index 21e9ce38..d3813b9d 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-standby.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-standby.c
@@ -3883,7 +3883,7 @@ do_standby_switchover(void)
 			log_detail(_("lag is %i seconds (warning threshold: %i)"),
 					   lag_seconds, config_file_options.replication_lag_warning);
 		}
-		else if (lag_seconds < 0)
+		else if (lag_seconds == UNKNOWN_REPLICATION_LAG)
 		{
 			if (runtime_options.force == false)
 			{
diff --git a/repmgr.h b/repmgr.h
index aea72d20..1f88c79d 100644
--- a/repmgr.h
+++ b/repmgr.h
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 #define UNKNOWN_TIMELINE_ID -1
 #define UNKNOWN_SYSTEM_IDENTIFIER 0
 #define UNKNOWN_PID			-1
+#define UNKNOWN_REPLICATION_LAG	-1
 
 #define NODE_NOT_FOUND		-1
 #define NO_UPSTREAM_NODE	-1