diff --git a/Grid/qcd/smearing/HISQSmearing.h b/Grid/qcd/smearing/HISQSmearing.h
index 6fc6993e..529ea090 100644
--- a/Grid/qcd/smearing/HISQSmearing.h
+++ b/Grid/qcd/smearing/HISQSmearing.h
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ public:
         for(int nu=0;nu<Nd;nu++) {
             appendShift(shifts,mu);
             appendShift(shifts,nu);
-            appendShift(shifts,NO_SHIFT);
+            appendShift(shifts,shiftSignal::NO_SHIFT);
             appendShift(shifts,mu,Back(nu));
             appendShift(shifts,Back(nu));
             appendShift(shifts,Back(mu));
@@ -173,7 +173,6 @@ public:
             auto gStencil_v = gStencil.View(); 
 
             accelerator_for(site,Nsites,Simd::Nsimd(),{ // ----------- 3-link constructs
-//            for(int site=0;site<Nsites;site++){ // ----------- 3-link constructs
                 stencilElement SE0, SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5;
                 U3matrix U0, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, W;
                 for(int nu=0;nu<Nd;nu++) {
@@ -216,7 +215,6 @@ public:
             })
 
             accelerator_for(site,Nsites,Simd::Nsimd(),{ // ----------- 5-link 
-//            for(int site=0;site<Nsites;site++){ // ----------- 5-link
                 stencilElement SE0, SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5;
                 U3matrix U0, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, W;
                 int sigmaIndex = 0;
@@ -254,7 +252,6 @@ public:
             })
 
             accelerator_for(site,Nsites,Simd::Nsimd(),{ // ----------- 7-link
-//            for(int site=0;site<Nsites;site++){ // ----------- 7-link
                 stencilElement SE0, SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4, SE5;
                 U3matrix U0, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, W;
                 int sigmaIndex = 0;
diff --git a/Grid/stencil/GeneralLocalStencil.h b/Grid/stencil/GeneralLocalStencil.h
index 38967b1b..9af9b834 100644
--- a/Grid/stencil/GeneralLocalStencil.h
+++ b/Grid/stencil/GeneralLocalStencil.h
@@ -141,8 +141,14 @@ public:
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Some machinery to streamline making a stencil 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////
-#define BACKWARD_CONST 16
-#define NO_SHIFT -1
+
+class shiftSignal {
+public:
+    enum {
+        BACKWARD_CONST = 16,
+        NO_SHIFT       = -1
+    };
+};
 
 // TODO: put a check somewhere that BACKWARD_CONST > Nd!
 
@@ -150,16 +156,16 @@ public:
 inline int Back(const int dir) {
     // generalShift will use BACKWARD_CONST to determine whether we step forward or 
     // backward. Trick inspired by SIMULATeQCD. 
-    return dir + BACKWARD_CONST;
+    return dir + shiftSignal::BACKWARD_CONST;
 }
 
 /*!  @brief shift one unit in direction dir */
 template<typename... Args>
 void generalShift(Coordinate& shift, int dir) {
-    if (dir >= BACKWARD_CONST) {
-        dir -= BACKWARD_CONST;
+    if (dir >= shiftSignal::BACKWARD_CONST) {
+        dir -= shiftSignal::BACKWARD_CONST;
         shift[dir]+=-1;
-    } else if (dir == NO_SHIFT) {
+    } else if (dir == shiftSignal::NO_SHIFT) {
         ; // do nothing
     } else {
         shift[dir]+=1;
@@ -169,10 +175,10 @@ void generalShift(Coordinate& shift, int dir) {
 /*!  @brief follow a path of directions, shifting one unit in each direction */
 template<typename... Args>
 void generalShift(Coordinate& shift, int dir, Args... args) {
-    if (dir >= BACKWARD_CONST) {
-        dir -= BACKWARD_CONST;
+    if (dir >= shiftSignal::BACKWARD_CONST) {
+        dir -= shiftSignal::BACKWARD_CONST;
         shift[dir]+=-1;
-    } else if (dir == NO_SHIFT) {
+    } else if (dir == shiftSignal::NO_SHIFT) {
         ; // do nothing
     } else {
         shift[dir]+=1;