diff --git a/lib/stormpy/simulator.py b/lib/stormpy/simulator.py
index 3002807..716db2a 100644
--- a/lib/stormpy/simulator.py
+++ b/lib/stormpy/simulator.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class Simulator:
         self._seed = seed
         self._observation_mode = SimulatorObservationMode.STATE_LEVEL
         self._action_mode = SimulatorActionMode.INDEX_LEVEL
+        self._full_observe = False
 
     def available_actions(self):
         """
@@ -61,6 +62,15 @@ class Simulator:
             raise RuntimeError("Observation mode must be a SimulatorObservationMode")
         self._observation_mode = mode
 
+    def set_full_observability(self, value):
+        """
+        Sets whether the full state space is observable.
+        Default inherited from the model, but this method overrides the setting.
+
+        :param value:
+        """
+        self._full_observe = value
+
 
 class SparseSimulator(Simulator):
     """
@@ -74,6 +84,7 @@ class SparseSimulator(Simulator):
         if seed is not None:
             self._engine.set_seed(seed)
         self._state_valuations = None
+        self.set_full_observability(self._model.model_type != stormpy.storage.ModelType.POMDP)
 
     def available_actions(self):
         return range(self.nr_available_actions())
@@ -81,11 +92,30 @@ class SparseSimulator(Simulator):
     def nr_available_actions(self):
         return self._model.get_nr_available_actions(self._engine.get_current_state())
 
-    def _report_observation(self):
+    def _report_state(self):
         if self._observation_mode == SimulatorObservationMode.STATE_LEVEL:
             return self._engine.get_current_state()
         elif self._observation_mode == SimulatorObservationMode.PROGRAM_LEVEL:
             return self._state_valuations.get_state(self._engine.get_current_state())
+        assert False, "The observation mode is unexpected"
+
+    def _report_observation(self):
+        """
+        :return:
+        """
+        #TODO this should be ensured earlier
+        assert self._model.model_type == stormpy.storage.ModelType.POMDP
+        if self._observation_mode == SimulatorObservationMode.STATE_LEVEL:
+            return self._model.get_observation(self._engine.get_current_state())
+        elif self._observation_mode == SimulatorObservationMode.PROGRAM_LEVEL:
+            raise NotImplementedError("Program level observations are not implemented in storm")
+        assert False, "The observation mode is unexpected"
+
+    def _report_result(self):
+        if self._full_observe:
+            return self._report_state()
+        else:
+            return self._report_observation()
 
     def step(self, action=None):
         if action is None:
@@ -98,12 +128,12 @@ class SparseSimulator(Simulator):
                 raise RuntimeError(f"Only {self.nr_available_actions()} actions available")
             check = self._engine.step(action)
             assert check
-        return self._report_observation()
+        return self._report_result()
 
 
     def restart(self):
         self._engine.reset_to_initial_state()
-        return self._report_observation()
+        return self._report_result()
 
     def is_done(self):
         return self._model.is_sink_state(self._engine.get_current_state())