diff --git a/discord/abc.py b/discord/abc.py
index 35b703af0..1d490cd46 100644
--- a/discord/abc.py
+++ b/discord/abc.py
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ class GuildChannel:
         base_attrs['name'] = name or self.name
         guild_id = self.guild.id
         cls = self.__class__
-        data = await self._state.http.create_channel(guild_id, self._type, reason=reason, **base_attrs)
+        data = await self._state.http.create_channel(guild_id, self.type.value, reason=reason, **base_attrs)
         obj = cls(state=self._state, guild=self.guild, data=data)
 
         # temporarily add it to the cache
diff --git a/discord/channel.py b/discord/channel.py
index 7415ad033..ae0eb4c37 100644
--- a/discord/channel.py
+++ b/discord/channel.py
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@ class TextChannel(discord.abc.Messageable, discord.abc.GuildChannel, Hashable):
     async def _get_channel(self):
         return self
 
+    @property
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return try_enum(ChannelType, self._type)
+
     @property
     def _sorting_bucket(self):
         return ChannelType.text.value
@@ -516,8 +521,9 @@ class VoiceChannel(discord.abc.Connectable, discord.abc.GuildChannel, Hashable):
         return self.guild.id, self.id
 
     @property
-    def _type(self):
-        return ChannelType.voice.value
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return ChannelType.voice
 
     def _update(self, guild, data):
         self.guild = guild
@@ -660,8 +666,9 @@ class CategoryChannel(discord.abc.GuildChannel, Hashable):
         return ChannelType.category.value
 
     @property
-    def _type(self):
-        return ChannelType.category.value
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return ChannelType.category
 
     def is_nsfw(self):
         """Checks if the category is NSFW."""
@@ -819,8 +826,9 @@ class StoreChannel(discord.abc.GuildChannel, Hashable):
         return ChannelType.text.value
 
     @property
-    def _type(self):
-        return ChannelType.store.value
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return ChannelType.store
 
     def permissions_for(self, member):
         base = super().permissions_for(member)
@@ -928,8 +936,9 @@ class DMChannel(discord.abc.Messageable, Hashable):
         return '<DMChannel id={0.id} recipient={0.recipient!r}>'.format(self)
 
     @property
-    def _type(self):
-        return ChannelType.private.value
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return ChannelType.private
 
     @property
     def created_at(self):
@@ -1041,8 +1050,9 @@ class GroupChannel(discord.abc.Messageable, Hashable):
         return '<GroupChannel id={0.id} name={0.name!r}>'.format(self)
 
     @property
-    def _type(self):
-        return ChannelType.group.value
+    def type(self):
+        """:class:`ChannelType`: The channel's Discord type."""
+        return ChannelType.group
 
     @property
     def icon_url(self):
diff --git a/discord/state.py b/discord/state.py
index c4b4ea6c4..f2ffabb2d 100644
--- a/discord/state.py
+++ b/discord/state.py
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ class ConnectionState:
         message = Message(channel=channel, data=data, state=self)
         self.dispatch('message', message)
         self._messages.append(message)
-        if channel and channel._type in (0, 5):
+        if channel and channel.__class__ is TextChannel:
             channel.last_message_id = message.id
 
     def parse_message_delete(self, data):