diff --git a/Packet++/header/HttpLayer.h b/Packet++/header/HttpLayer.h
index 1c47f8a61e..6e1dbb16a0 100644
--- a/Packet++/header/HttpLayer.h
+++ b/Packet++/header/HttpLayer.h
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <exception>
 
+#ifndef PCPP_DEPRECATED
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+#define PCPP_DEPRECATED __attribute__((deprecated))
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+#define PCPP_DEPRECATED __declspec(deprecated)
+#else
+#pragma message("WARNING: DEPRECATED feature is not implemented for this compiler")
+#define PCPP_DEPRECATED
+#endif
+#endif
+
 /// @file
 
 /**
@@ -425,14 +436,14 @@ namespace pcpp
 		/**
 		 * @brief Construct HttpResponseStatusCode from the code number and the customized message
 		 * @param[in] statusCodeNumber the status code in number, e.g. 200, 404
-		 * @param[in] statusMessage the status message, optional
+		 * @param[in] statusMessage the status message, optional, leave empty to use a default message
 		 */
 		explicit HttpResponseStatusCode(const int &statusCodeNumber, const std::string& statusMessage = "");
 
 		/**
 		 * @brief Construct HttpResponseStatusCode from Value enum and the customized message
 		 * @param[in] statusCode the status code enum
-		 * @param[in] statusMessage the status message, optional
+		 * @param[in] statusMessage the customized status message, optional
 		 */
 		explicit HttpResponseStatusCode(const Value& statusCode, const std::string& statusMessage);
 
@@ -513,7 +524,15 @@ namespace pcpp
 		 * But the user can set a non-default status code string and it will be written in the header first line. Empty string ("") means using the
 		 * default status code string
 		 */
-		HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatusCode statusCode, std::string statusCodeString = "");
+		PCPP_DEPRECATED explicit HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode, const std::string& statusCodeString);
+
+		/**
+		 * A constructor that allocates a new HTTP response header with only the first line filled. Object will be created without further fields.
+		 * The user can then add fields using addField() methods
+		 * @param[in] version HTTP version to be used
+		 * @param[in] statusCode Status code to be used
+		 */
+		explicit HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode);
 
 		virtual ~HttpResponseLayer();
 
@@ -717,11 +736,9 @@ namespace pcpp
 		/**
 		 * Set the status code
 		 * @param[in] newStatusCode The new status code to set
-		 * @param[in] statusCodeString An optional parameter: set a non-default status code message (e.g "Bla Bla" instead of "Not Found"). If
-		 * this parameter isn't supplied or supplied as empty string (""), the default message for the status code will be set
 		 * @return True if setting the status code was completed successfully, false otherwise
 		 */
-		bool setStatusCode(HttpResponseStatusCode newStatusCode, std::string statusCodeString = "");
+		bool setStatusCode(const HttpResponseStatusCode& newStatusCode);
 
 		/**
 		 * @return The HTTP version
@@ -785,7 +802,7 @@ namespace pcpp
 
 	private:
 		HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse);
-		HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse,  HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatusCode statusCode, std::string statusCodeString = "");
+		HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse,  HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode);
 
 		HttpResponseLayer* m_HttpResponse;
 		HttpVersion m_Version;
diff --git a/Packet++/src/HttpLayer.cpp b/Packet++/src/HttpLayer.cpp
index 17c5d68057..dd2c0e585f 100644
--- a/Packet++/src/HttpLayer.cpp
+++ b/Packet++/src/HttpLayer.cpp
@@ -697,10 +697,17 @@ HttpResponseLayer::HttpResponseLayer(uint8_t* data, size_t dataLen, Layer* prevL
 	parseFields();
 }
 
-HttpResponseLayer::HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatusCode statusCode, std::string statusCodeString)
+HttpResponseLayer::HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode, const std::string& statusCodeString)
 {
 	m_Protocol = HTTPResponse;
-	m_FirstLine = new HttpResponseFirstLine(this, version, statusCode, std::move(statusCodeString));
+	m_FirstLine = new HttpResponseFirstLine(this, version, HttpResponseStatusCode(statusCode, statusCodeString));
+	m_FieldsOffset = m_FirstLine->getSize();
+}
+
+HttpResponseLayer::HttpResponseLayer(HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode)
+{
+	m_Protocol = HTTPResponse;
+	m_FirstLine = new HttpResponseFirstLine(this, version, statusCode);
 	m_FieldsOffset = m_FirstLine->getSize();
 }
 
@@ -802,7 +809,7 @@ std::string HttpResponseFirstLine::getStatusCodeString() const
 	return "";
 }
 
-bool HttpResponseFirstLine::setStatusCode(HttpResponseStatusCode newStatusCode, std::string statusCodeString)
+bool HttpResponseFirstLine::setStatusCode(const HttpResponseStatusCode& newStatusCode)
 {
 	if (newStatusCode.isUnsupportedCode())
 	{
@@ -812,10 +819,8 @@ bool HttpResponseFirstLine::setStatusCode(HttpResponseStatusCode newStatusCode,
 
 	//extend or shorten layer
 
-	HttpResponseStatusCode newStatusCodeWithMessage(newStatusCode, statusCodeString);
-
 	size_t statusStringOffset = 13;
-	auto newStatusCodeMessage = newStatusCodeWithMessage.getMessage();
+	auto newStatusCodeMessage = newStatusCode.getMessage();
 
 	int lengthDifference = newStatusCodeMessage.length() - getStatusCodeString().length();
 	if (lengthDifference > 0)
@@ -845,7 +850,7 @@ bool HttpResponseFirstLine::setStatusCode(HttpResponseStatusCode newStatusCode,
 	// change status code
 	memcpy(m_HttpResponse->m_Data+9, newStatusCode.toString().c_str(), 3);
 
-	m_StatusCode = newStatusCodeWithMessage;
+	m_StatusCode = newStatusCode;
 
 	m_FirstLineEndOffset += lengthDifference;
 
@@ -944,7 +949,7 @@ HttpResponseFirstLine::HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse) :
 }
 
 
-HttpResponseFirstLine::HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse,  HttpVersion version, HttpResponseStatusCode statusCode, std::string statusCodeString)
+HttpResponseFirstLine::HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse,  HttpVersion version, const HttpResponseStatusCode& statusCode)
 {
 	if (statusCode.isUnsupportedCode())
 	{
@@ -960,7 +965,7 @@ HttpResponseFirstLine::HttpResponseFirstLine(HttpResponseLayer* httpResponse,  H
 
 	m_HttpResponse = httpResponse;
 
-	m_StatusCode = HttpResponseStatusCode(statusCode, statusCodeString);
+	m_StatusCode = statusCode;
 	m_Version = version;
 
 	std::string firstLine = "HTTP/" + VersionEnumToString[m_Version] + " " + m_StatusCode.toString() + " " +  m_StatusCode.getMessage() +  "\r\n";
diff --git a/Tests/Packet++Test/Tests/HttpTests.cpp b/Tests/Packet++Test/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
index f739c336a5..9c7d10032b 100644
--- a/Tests/Packet++Test/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
+++ b/Tests/Packet++Test/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ PTF_TEST_CASE(HttpResponseLayerEditTest)
 
 	PTF_ASSERT_BUF_COMPARE(expectedHttpResponse.c_str(), responseLayer->getData(), expectedHttpResponse.length());
 
-	PTF_ASSERT_TRUE(responseLayer->getFirstLine()->setStatusCode(pcpp::HttpResponseStatusCode::Http413RequestEntityTooLarge, "This is a test"));
+	PTF_ASSERT_TRUE(responseLayer->getFirstLine()->setStatusCode(pcpp::HttpResponseStatusCode(pcpp::HttpResponseStatusCode::Http413RequestEntityTooLarge, "This is a test")));
 	PTF_ASSERT_EQUAL(responseLayer->getFirstLine()->getStatusCodeAsInt(), 413);
 	PTF_ASSERT_EQUAL(responseLayer->getFirstLine()->getStatusCodeString(), "This is a test");