diff --git a/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/TangoShutter.py b/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/TangoShutter.py
index 1fc378d1da..8565c962ba 100644
--- a/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/TangoShutter.py
+++ b/mxcubecore/HardwareObjects/TangoShutter.py
@@ -31,13 +31,23 @@
   <command type="tango" name="Open">Open</command>
   <command type="tango" name="Close">Close</command>
   <channel type="tango" name="State" polling="1000">State</channel>
-  <values>{"open": "OPEN", "cloded": "CLOSED", "DISABLE" : "DISABLE"}</values>
+  <values>{"OPEN": "MYOPEN", "NEWSTATE": ["MYSTATE", "BUSY"]}</values>
 </object>
 
-In this example the <values> tag contains a json dictionary that maps spectific tango shutter states to the
-convantional states defined in the TangoShutter Class. This tag is not necessay in cases where the tango shutter states
-are all covered by the TangoShuter class conventional states.
+In the example the <values> property contains a dictionary that redefines or
+adds specific tango shutter states.
+When redefining a known state, only the VALUES Enum will be updated.
+When defining a new state (new key), the dictionary value should be a
+list. The new state is added to both the VALUES and the SPECIFIC_STATES Enum.
+Attention:
+ - do not use tuples or the python json parser will fail!
+ - make sure only double quotes are used inside the values dictionary. No single quotes (') are allowed !
+ - the second element of the list should be a standard HardwareObjectState name
+ (UNKNOWN, WARNING, BUSY, READY, FAULT, OFF - see in BaseHardwareObjects.py)!
+The <values> property is optional.
 """
+
+import logging
 import json
 from enum import (
     Enum,
@@ -47,7 +57,7 @@
 from mxcubecore.BaseHardwareObjects import HardwareObjectState
 from mxcubecore.HardwareObjects.abstract.AbstractShutter import AbstractShutter
 
-__copyright__ = """ Copyright © 2023 by the MXCuBE collaboration """
+__copyright__ = """ Copyright © by the MXCuBE collaboration """
 __license__ = "LGPLv3+"
 
 
@@ -62,6 +72,7 @@ class TangoShutterStates(Enum):
     AUTOMATIC = HardwareObjectState.READY, "RUNNING"
     UNKNOWN = HardwareObjectState.UNKNOWN, "RUNNING"
     FAULT = HardwareObjectState.WARNING, "FAULT"
+    STANDBY = HardwareObjectState.WARNING, "STANDBY"
 
 
 class TangoShutter(AbstractShutter):
@@ -85,26 +96,18 @@ def init(self):
         self.state_channel.connect_signal("update", self._update_value)
         self.update_state()
 
-        try:
-            self.config_values = json.loads(self.get_property("values"))
-        except:
-            self.config_values = None
-
     def _update_value(self, value):
         """Update the value.
         Args:
             value(str): The value reported by the state channel.
         """
-        if self.config_values:
-            value = self.config_values[str(value)]
-        else:
-            value = str(value)
-
-        super().update_value(self.value_to_enum(value))
+        super().update_value(self.value_to_enum(str(value)))
 
     def _initialise_values(self):
-        """Add the tango states to VALUES"""
+        """Add specific tango states to VALUES and, if configured
+        in the xml file, to SPECIFIC_STATES"""
         values_dict = {item.name: item.value for item in self.VALUES}
+        states_dict = {item.name: item.value for item in self.SPECIFIC_STATES}
         values_dict.update(
             {
                 "MOVING": "MOVING",
@@ -113,7 +116,19 @@ def _initialise_values(self):
                 "FAULT": "FAULT",
             }
         )
+        try:
+            config_values = json.loads(self.get_property("values"))
+            for key, val in config_values.items():
+                if isinstance(val, (tuple, list)):
+                    values_dict.update({key: val[1]})
+                    states_dict.update({key: (HardwareObjectState[val[1]], val[0])})
+                else:
+                    values_dict.update({key: val})
+        except (ValueError, TypeError) as err:
+            logging.error(f"Exception in _initialise_values(): {err}")
+
         self.VALUES = Enum("ValueEnum", values_dict)
+        self.SPECIFIC_STATES = Enum("TangoShutterStates", states_dict)
 
     def get_state(self):
         """Get the device state.
@@ -121,25 +136,18 @@ def get_state(self):
             (enum 'HardwareObjectState'): Device state.
         """
         try:
-            if self.config_values:
-                _state = self.config_values[str(self.state_channel.get_value())]
-            else:
-                _state = str(self.state_channel.get_value())
-
-        except (AttributeError, KeyError):
+            _state = self.get_value().name
+            return self.SPECIFIC_STATES[_state].value[0]
+        except (AttributeError, KeyError) as err:
+            logging.error(f"Exception in get_state(): {err}")
             return self.STATES.UNKNOWN
 
-        return self.SPECIFIC_STATES[_state].value[0]
-
     def get_value(self):
         """Get the device value
         Returns:
             (Enum): Enum member, corresponding to the 'VALUE' or UNKNOWN.
         """
-        if self.config_values:
-            _val = self.config_values[str(self.state_channel.get_value())]
-        else:
-            _val = str(self.state_channel.get_value())
+        _val = str(self.state_channel.get_value())
         return self.value_to_enum(_val)
 
     def _set_value(self, value):