diff --git a/dsdl/uavcan/protocol/550.NodeStatus.uavcan b/dsdl/uavcan/protocol/550.NodeStatus.uavcan
index 0d777fc759..934e741c12 100644
--- a/dsdl/uavcan/protocol/550.NodeStatus.uavcan
+++ b/dsdl/uavcan/protocol/550.NodeStatus.uavcan
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #
 # Abstract node status information.
 # Any UAVCAN node is required to publish this message periodically.
+# It is NOT recommended to change its publication rate at run time.
+#
+# See http://uavcan.org/Standard_data_types_and_application_level_functions
 #
 
 uint16 MAX_PUBLICATION_PERIOD_MS = 1000
@@ -13,9 +16,6 @@ uint16 OFFLINE_TIMEOUT_MS = 3000
 uint28 uptime_sec
 
 # Status code should be used to reflect the node status in the most abstract way.
-# Use cases: top-level onboard computer should not allow the UAV to begin normal operation
-# unless all nodes report OK. If a mission critical node reports CRITICAL status, current
-# mission should be immediately yet safely aborted (e.g. RTL).
 # OFFLINE status can be actually reported by the node to explicitly inform other network
 # participants that the sending node is about to shutdown. In this case other nodes will not
 # have to wait OFFLINE_TIMEOUT_MS before they detect that the node is no longer available.
@@ -25,3 +25,6 @@ uint4 STATUS_WARNING      = 2
 uint4 STATUS_CRITICAL     = 3
 uint4 STATUS_OFFLINE      = 15
 uint4 status_code
+
+# Optional, vendor-specific node status code, e.g. a fault code or a status bitmask.
+uint32 vendor_specific_status_code
diff --git a/libuavcan/test/dsdl_test/dsdl_uavcan_compilability.cpp b/libuavcan/test/dsdl_test/dsdl_uavcan_compilability.cpp
index d1671c4ef5..852f79a208 100644
--- a/libuavcan/test/dsdl_test/dsdl_uavcan_compilability.cpp
+++ b/libuavcan/test/dsdl_test/dsdl_uavcan_compilability.cpp
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ TEST(Dsdl, Streaming)
         "status: \n"
         "  uptime_sec: 0\n"
         "  status_code: 0\n"
+        "  vendor_specific_status_code: 0\n"
         "software_version: \n"
         "  major: 0\n"
         "  minor: 0\n"
diff --git a/libuavcan/test/protocol/node_status_monitor.cpp b/libuavcan/test/protocol/node_status_monitor.cpp
index 3a2db1394b..bfb97b0053 100644
--- a/libuavcan/test/protocol/node_status_monitor.cpp
+++ b/libuavcan/test/protocol/node_status_monitor.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ static void publishNodeStatus(CanDriverMock& can, uavcan::NodeID node_id, uavcan
 
     // Manual message publication
     ASSERT_LT(0, uavcan::protocol::NodeStatus::encode(msg, codec));
-    ASSERT_GE(7, buffer.getMaxWritePos());
+    ASSERT_GE(8, buffer.getMaxWritePos());
 
     // DataTypeID data_type_id, TransferType transfer_type, NodeID src_node_id, NodeID dst_node_id,
     // uint_fast8_t frame_index, TransferID transfer_id, bool last_frame