diff --git a/jambo/parser/enum_type_parser.py b/jambo/parser/enum_type_parser.py
index ac11c0a..7a51afd 100644
--- a/jambo/parser/enum_type_parser.py
+++ b/jambo/parser/enum_type_parser.py
@@ -25,11 +25,8 @@ class EnumTypeParser(GenericTypeParser):
         parsed_properties = self.mappings_properties_builder(properties, **kwargs)
 
         if (
-            "default" in parsed_properties
-            and parsed_properties["default"] not in enum_values
+            "default" in parsed_properties and parsed_properties["default"] is not None
         ):
-            raise ValueError(
-                f"Default value {parsed_properties['default']} is not a valid member of enum {name}."
-            )
+            parsed_properties["default"] = enum_type(parsed_properties["default"])
 
         return enum_type, parsed_properties
diff --git a/tests/parser/test_enum_type_parser.py b/tests/parser/test_enum_type_parser.py
index 39d0e29..f0dcd7d 100644
--- a/tests/parser/test_enum_type_parser.py
+++ b/tests/parser/test_enum_type_parser.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class TestEnumTypeParser(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             set(parsed_type.__members__.keys()), {"VALUE1", "VALUE2", "VALUE3"}
         )
-        self.assertEqual(parsed_properties["default"], "value2")
+        self.assertEqual(parsed_properties["default"].value, "value2")
 
     def test_enum_type_parser_throws_invalid_default(self):
         parser = EnumTypeParser()
diff --git a/tests/test_schema_converter.py b/tests/test_schema_converter.py
index c8bc96c..a980e3c 100644
--- a/tests/test_schema_converter.py
+++ b/tests/test_schema_converter.py
@@ -597,3 +597,40 @@ class TestSchemaConverter(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(obj.age, 30)
         self.assertEqual(obj.address.street, "123 Main St")
         self.assertEqual(obj.address.city, "Springfield")
+
+    def test_enum_type_parser(self):
+        schema = {
+            "title": "Person",
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+                "status": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "enum": ["active", "inactive", "pending"],
+                }
+            },
+            "required": ["status"],
+        }
+
+        Model = SchemaConverter.build(schema)
+
+        obj = Model(status="active")
+        self.assertEqual(obj.status.value, "active")
+
+    def test_enum_type_parser_with_default(self):
+        schema = {
+            "title": "Person",
+            "type": "object",
+            "properties": {
+                "status": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "enum": ["active", "inactive", "pending"],
+                    "default": "active",
+                }
+            },
+            "required": ["status"],
+        }
+
+        Model = SchemaConverter.build(schema)
+
+        obj = Model()
+        self.assertEqual(obj.status.value, "active")