diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 71edf5d8..742c5300 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ Please add a note of your changes below this heading if you make a Pull Request.
 ## Fixed
 * Would ERROR_CONTROL_DEADLINE_MISSED along with every ERROR_PHASE_RESISTANCE_OUT_OF_RANGE.
 
+### Changed
+* renamed `axis.enable_step_dir` to `axis.step_dir_active`
+
 # Releases
 ## [0.4.6] - 2018-10-07
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.cpp b/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.cpp
index 01892af1..0ab726ff 100644
--- a/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.cpp
+++ b/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.cpp
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ bool Axis::wait_for_current_meas() {
 
 // step/direction interface
 void Axis::step_cb() {
-    if (enable_step_dir_) {
+    if (step_dir_active_) {
         GPIO_PinState dir_pin = HAL_GPIO_ReadPin(hw_config_.dir_port, hw_config_.dir_pin);
         float dir = (dir_pin == GPIO_PIN_SET) ? 1.0f : -1.0f;
         controller_.pos_setpoint_ += dir * config_.counts_per_step;
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ void Axis::set_step_dir_enabled(bool enable) {
         GPIO_subscribe(hw_config_.step_port, hw_config_.step_pin, GPIO_PULLDOWN,
                 step_cb_wrapper, this);
 
-        enable_step_dir_ = true;
+        step_dir_active_ = true;
     } else {
-        enable_step_dir_ = false;
+        step_dir_active_ = false;
 
         // Unsubscribe from step GPIO
         GPIO_unsubscribe(hw_config_.step_port, hw_config_.step_pin);
diff --git a/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.hpp b/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.hpp
index 9e3de43c..6e9b8bfc 100644
--- a/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.hpp
+++ b/Firmware/MotorControl/axis.hpp
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ public:
 
     // variables exposed on protocol
     Error_t error_ = ERROR_NONE;
-    bool enable_step_dir_ = false; // auto enabled after calibration, based on config.enable_step_dir
+    bool step_dir_active_ = false; // auto enabled after calibration, based on config.enable_step_dir
     State_t requested_state_ = AXIS_STATE_STARTUP_SEQUENCE;
     State_t task_chain_[10] = { AXIS_STATE_UNDEFINED };
     State_t& current_state_ = task_chain_[0];
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ public:
     auto make_protocol_definitions() {
         return make_protocol_member_list(
             make_protocol_property("error", &error_),
-            make_protocol_property("enable_step_dir", &enable_step_dir_),
+            make_protocol_ro_property("step_dir_active", &step_dir_active_),
             make_protocol_ro_property("current_state", &current_state_),
             make_protocol_property("requested_state", &requested_state_),
             make_protocol_ro_property("loop_counter", &loop_counter_),