diff --git a/metropolis/node/core/curator/impl_leader_curator.go b/metropolis/node/core/curator/impl_leader_curator.go
index 0124ab0..d4e9e29 100644
--- a/metropolis/node/core/curator/impl_leader_curator.go
+++ b/metropolis/node/core/curator/impl_leader_curator.go
@@ -429,10 +429,10 @@
 	switch node.state {
 	case cpb.NodeState_NODE_STATE_NEW:
 		return nil, status.Error(codes.PermissionDenied, "node is NEW, wait for attestation/approval")
-	case cpb.NodeState_NODE_STATE_DISOWNED:
-		// This node has been since disowned by the cluster for some reason, the
+	case cpb.NodeState_NODE_STATE_DECOMMISSIONED:
+		// This node has been since decommissioned by the cluster for some reason, the
 		// register flow should be aborted.
-		return nil, status.Error(codes.FailedPrecondition, "node is DISOWNED, abort register flow")
+		return nil, status.Error(codes.FailedPrecondition, "node is DECOMMISSIONED, abort register flow")
 	case cpb.NodeState_NODE_STATE_UP:
 		// This can happen due to a network failure when we already handled a
 		// CommitNode, but we weren't able to respond to the user. CommitNode is
diff --git a/metropolis/proto/common/common.proto b/metropolis/proto/common/common.proto
index 28becd3..d2b307e 100644
--- a/metropolis/proto/common/common.proto
+++ b/metropolis/proto/common/common.proto
@@ -85,9 +85,11 @@
     // The node is now ready to serve, and its certificate can be used to
     // authenticate its identity cryptographically.
     NODE_STATE_UP = 3;
-    // DISOWNED: the node has been rejected or decommissioned by the cluster.
-    // Any further contact from the node to the cluster will be rejected.
-    NODE_STATE_DISOWNED = 4;
+    // DECOMMISSIONED: The node has successfully been decommissioned and can be
+    // deleted.
+    //
+    // TODO(q3k): add missing -ING states.
+    NODE_STATE_DECOMMISSIONED = 4;
 };
 
 // ClusterState is the state of the cluster from the point of view of a node.