diff --git a/nomad/metainfo/metainfo.py b/nomad/metainfo/metainfo.py
index 5e384bb67d7f0e708c9f5356e6523e70b5fabd71..92d0de6e32e9467a97b3f65cff44142f4a3b6655 100644
--- a/nomad/metainfo/metainfo.py
+++ b/nomad/metainfo/metainfo.py
@@ -4680,6 +4680,7 @@ class AnnotationModel(Annotation, BaseModel):
 
         validate_assignment = True
         arbitrary_types_allowed = True
+        use_enum_values = True
 
 
 AnnotationModel.update_forward_refs()
diff --git a/tests/datamodel/test_schema.py b/tests/datamodel/test_schema.py
index d67ee3b0a29a1588052eb53fd57601da38bda9cb..17ccdea3ab84a0a3eb396270e7183376ecd0c421 100644
--- a/tests/datamodel/test_schema.py
+++ b/tests/datamodel/test_schema.py
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def test_eln_annotation_validation(eln_type, eln_component):
 
             assert isinstance(exception.value, MetainfoError)
             error_str = (
-                f'The component {eln_component} '
+                f'The component {eln_component.value} '
                 f'is not compatible with the quantity quantity_name of the type {type_name}. '
                 f'Accepted components: {", ".join(valid_eln_components[eln_type])}'
             )