diff --git a/src/java_bytecode/ci_lazy_methods.cpp b/src/java_bytecode/ci_lazy_methods.cpp
index b0fc17fb03b..0bde4d58530 100644
--- a/src/java_bytecode/ci_lazy_methods.cpp
+++ b/src/java_bytecode/ci_lazy_methods.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ bool ci_lazy_methodst::operator()(
   std::vector<irep_idt> method_worklist1;
   std::vector<irep_idt> method_worklist2;
 
-  auto main_function=
+  main_function_resultt main_function =
     get_main_symbol(symbol_table, main_class, get_message_handler(), true);
-  if(main_function.stop_convert)
+  if(!main_function.is_success())
   {
     // Failed, mark all functions in the given main class(es)
     // reaclass_hierarchyable.
diff --git a/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_language.cpp b/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_language.cpp
index e99f9fe0b73..b2653c9488d 100644
--- a/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_language.cpp
+++ b/src/java_bytecode/java_bytecode_language.cpp
@@ -264,8 +264,8 @@ bool java_bytecode_languaget::generate_support_functions(
 
   main_function_resultt res=
     get_main_symbol(symbol_table, main_class, get_message_handler());
-  if(res.stop_convert)
-    return res.error_found;
+  if(!res.is_success())
+    return res.is_error();
 
   // generate the test harness in __CPROVER__start and a call the entry point
   return
diff --git a/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.cpp b/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.cpp
index e9863e51152..2c0bd5bb6d2 100644
--- a/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.cpp
+++ b/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.cpp
@@ -324,9 +324,6 @@ main_function_resultt get_main_symbol(
   message_handlert &message_handler,
   bool allow_no_body)
 {
-  symbolt symbol;
-  main_function_resultt res;
-
   messaget message(message_handler);
 
   // find main symbol
@@ -341,32 +338,25 @@ main_function_resultt get_main_symbol(
 
     if(main_symbol_id==irep_idt())
     {
-      message.error() << "main symbol resolution failed: "
-                      << error_message << messaget::eom;
-      res.main_function=symbol;
-      res.error_found=true;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res;
+      message.error()
+        << "main symbol resolution failed: " << error_message << messaget::eom;
+      return main_function_resultt::Error;
     }
 
-    symbol_tablet::symbolst::const_iterator s_it=
-      symbol_table.symbols.find(main_symbol_id);
+    const symbolt *symbol = symbol_table.lookup(main_symbol_id);
     INVARIANT(
-      s_it!=symbol_table.symbols.end(),
+      symbol != nullptr,
       "resolve_friendly_method_name should return a symbol-table identifier");
 
-    symbol=s_it->second;
-
     // check if it has a body
-    if(symbol.value.is_nil() && !allow_no_body)
+    if(symbol->value.is_nil() && !allow_no_body)
     {
-      message.error() << "main method `" << main_class
-                      << "' has no body" << messaget::eom;
-      res.main_function=symbol;
-      res.error_found=true;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res;
+      message.error()
+        << "main method `" << main_class << "' has no body" << messaget::eom;
+      return main_function_resultt::Error;
     }
+
+    return *symbol; // Return found function
   }
   else
   {
@@ -375,69 +365,49 @@ main_function_resultt get_main_symbol(
 
     // are we given a main class?
     if(main_class.empty())
-    {
-      res.main_function=symbol;
-      res.error_found=false;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res; // silently ignore
-    }
+      return main_function_resultt::NotFound; // silently ignore
 
-    std::string entry_method=
-      id2string(main_class)+".main";
+    std::string entry_method = id2string(main_class) + ".main";
 
     std::string prefix="java::"+entry_method+":";
 
     // look it up
-    std::set<irep_idt> matches;
+    std::set<const symbolt *> matches;
 
-    for(symbol_tablet::symbolst::const_iterator
-        s_it=symbol_table.symbols.begin();
-        s_it!=symbol_table.symbols.end();
-        s_it++)
+    for(const auto &named_symbol : symbol_table.symbols)
     {
-      if(s_it->second.type.id()==ID_code &&
-         has_prefix(id2string(s_it->first), prefix))
-        matches.insert(s_it->first);
+      if(named_symbol.second.type.id() == ID_code
+        && has_prefix(id2string(named_symbol.first), prefix))
+      {
+        matches.insert(&named_symbol.second);
+      }
     }
 
     if(matches.empty())
-    {
       // Not found, silently ignore
-      res.main_function=symbol;
-      res.error_found=false;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res;
-    }
+      return main_function_resultt::NotFound;
 
-    if(matches.size()>=2)
+    if(matches.size() > 1)
     {
-      message.error() << "main method in `" << main_class
-                      << "' is ambiguous" << messaget::eom;
-      res.main_function=symbolt();
-      res.error_found=true;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res;  // give up with error, no main
+      message.error()
+        << "main method in `" << main_class
+        << "' is ambiguous" << messaget::eom;
+      return main_function_resultt::Error;  // give up with error, no main
     }
 
     // function symbol
-    symbol=symbol_table.symbols.find(*matches.begin())->second;
+    const symbolt &symbol = **matches.begin();
 
     // check if it has a body
     if(symbol.value.is_nil() && !allow_no_body)
     {
-      message.error() << "main method `" << main_class
-                      << "' has no body" << messaget::eom;
-      res.main_function=symbol;
-      res.error_found=true;
-      res.stop_convert=true;
-      return res;  // give up with error
+      message.error()
+        << "main method `" << main_class << "' has no body" << messaget::eom;
+      return main_function_resultt::Error;  // give up with error
     }
-  }
 
-  res.main_function=symbol;
-  res.error_found=false;
-  res.stop_convert=false;
-  return res;  // give up with error
+    return symbol; // Return found function
+  }
 }
 
 /// Given the \p symbol_table and the \p main_class to test, this function
@@ -490,8 +460,8 @@ bool java_entry_point(
   messaget message(message_handler);
   main_function_resultt res=
     get_main_symbol(symbol_table, main_class, message_handler);
-  if(res.stop_convert)
-    return res.stop_convert;
+  if(!res.is_success())
+    return true;
   symbolt symbol=res.main_function;
 
   assert(!symbol.value.is_nil());
diff --git a/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.h b/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.h
index 9461a4a826d..2b644924858 100644
--- a/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.h
+++ b/src/java_bytecode/java_entry_point.h
@@ -26,12 +26,38 @@ bool java_entry_point(
   const object_factory_parameterst &object_factory_parameters,
   const select_pointer_typet &pointer_type_selector);
 
-typedef struct
+struct main_function_resultt
 {
+  enum statust
+  {
+    Success,
+    Error,
+    NotFound
+  } status;
   symbolt main_function;
-  bool error_found;
-  bool stop_convert;
-} main_function_resultt;
+
+  // Implicit conversion doesn't lose information and allows return of status
+  // NOLINTNEXTLINE(runtime/explicit)
+  main_function_resultt(statust status) : status(status)
+  {
+  }
+
+  // Implicit conversion doesn't lose information and allows return of symbol
+  // NOLINTNEXTLINE(runtime/explicit)
+  main_function_resultt(const symbolt &main_function)
+    : status(Success), main_function(main_function)
+  {
+  }
+
+  bool is_success() const
+  {
+    return status == Success;
+  }
+  bool is_error() const
+  {
+    return status == Error;
+  }
+};
 
 /// Figures out the entry point of the code to verify
 main_function_resultt get_main_symbol(