diff --git a/src/include/policy.h b/src/include/policy.h
index e9092c7cc..bf2221ebf 100644
--- a/src/include/policy.h
+++ b/src/include/policy.h
@@ -229,11 +229,11 @@ as_status pyobject_to_policy_query(AerospikeClient *self, as_error *err,
                                    as_policy_query *config_query_policy,
                                    as_exp *exp_list, as_exp **exp_list_p);
 
-int initialize_as_policy_read_using_py_policy_dict(AerospikeClient *self,
-                                                   as_error *err,
-                                                   as_policy_read *policy,
-                                                   PyObject *py_policy,
-                                                   as_exp **exp_list_ref);
+int initialize_as_policy_using_py_policy_dict(AerospikeClient *self,
+                                              as_error *err, void *policy,
+                                              enum as_policy_type policy_type,
+                                              PyObject *py_policy,
+                                              as_exp **exp_list_ref);
 
 as_status pyobject_to_policy_remove(AerospikeClient *self, as_error *err,
                                     PyObject *py_policy,
diff --git a/src/main/client/exists.c b/src/main/client/exists.c
index 30c9a5a6c..de6f021ef 100644
--- a/src/main/client/exists.c
+++ b/src/main/client/exists.c
@@ -77,9 +77,8 @@ extern PyObject *AerospikeClient_Exists_Invoke(AerospikeClient *self,
     // key is initialised successfully
     key_initialised = true;
 
-    // Convert python policy object to as_policy_exists
-    int retval = initialize_as_policy_read_using_py_policy_dict(
-        self, &err, &read_policy, py_policy, &exp_list);
+    int retval = initialize_as_policy_using_py_policy_dict(
+        self, &err, &read_policy, AS_POLICY_TYPE_READ, py_policy, &exp_list);
     if (retval != AEROSPIKE_OK) {
         goto CLEANUP;
     }
diff --git a/src/main/client/get.c b/src/main/client/get.c
index 591a17305..e1f68f269 100644
--- a/src/main/client/get.c
+++ b/src/main/client/get.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ PyObject *AerospikeClient_Get_Invoke(AerospikeClient *self, PyObject *py_key,
     key_initialised = true;
 
     // Convert python policy object to as_policy_exists
-    int retval = initialize_as_policy_read_using_py_policy_dict(
+    int retval = initialize_as_policy_using_py_policy_dict(
         self, &err, &transaction_read_policy, py_policy, &exp_list);
     if (retval != AEROSPIKE_OK) {
         goto CLEANUP;
diff --git a/src/main/client/select.c b/src/main/client/select.c
index a6c5dde42..fc3df214c 100644
--- a/src/main/client/select.c
+++ b/src/main/client/select.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ PyObject *AerospikeClient_Select_Invoke(AerospikeClient *self, PyObject *py_key,
     }
 
     // Convert python policy object to as_policy_exists
-    int retval = initialize_as_policy_read_using_py_policy_dict(
+    int retval = initialize_as_policy_using_py_policy_dict(
         self, &err, &read_policy, py_policy, &exp_list);
     if (retval != AEROSPIKE_OK) {
         goto CLEANUP;
diff --git a/src/main/policy.c b/src/main/policy.c
index dbbf2d0e6..b7b13ce45 100644
--- a/src/main/policy.c
+++ b/src/main/policy.c
@@ -841,6 +841,8 @@ int set_as_policy_fields_using_pyobject(AerospikeClient *self, as_error *err,
     return -1;
 }
 
+// TODO: create individual functions for each policy type
+// using an enum to represent types is an antipattern
 /**
  * Initializes and sets as_policy_read instance using a Python policy dictionary
  * Returns 0 on success. On error, return -1.