diff --git a/builder/codegen.js b/builder/codegen.js
index 71a1815..c98e456 100644
--- a/builder/codegen.js
+++ b/builder/codegen.js
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ function generateIndexKeyEncoding(type) {
     const component = type.keyEncoding[i]
 
     const keyType = type.builder.schema.types.get(`@${type.namespace}/${component}`)
-    if (keyType?.isEnum) str += '  IndexEncoder.UINT'
+    if (keyType?.isEnum) str += keyType.strings ? '  IndexEncoder.STRING' : '  IndexEncoder.UINT'
     else str += '  ' + IndexTypeMap.get(component)
 
     if (i !== type.keyEncoding.length - 1) str += ',\n'
diff --git a/test/basic.js b/test/basic.js
index 2fa9373..006b3b3 100644
--- a/test/basic.js
+++ b/test/basic.js
@@ -607,3 +607,24 @@ test('enum as key type', async function ({ create, bee }, t) {
 
   await db.close()
 })
+
+test('enum with strings: true as key type', async function ({ create }, t) {
+  const db = await create({ fixture: 8 })
+
+  await db.insert('@db/tasks', { project: 'alpha', status: 'pending', name: 'task1' })
+  await db.insert('@db/tasks', { project: 'alpha', status: 'active', name: 'task2' })
+  await db.insert('@db/tasks', { project: 'beta', status: 'completed', name: 'task3' })
+  await db.flush()
+
+  {
+    const task = await db.get('@db/tasks', { project: 'alpha', status: 'pending', name: 'task1' })
+    t.alike(task, { project: 'alpha', status: 'pending', name: 'task1' })
+  }
+
+  {
+    const all = await db.find('@db/tasks').toArray()
+    t.is(all.length, 3)
+  }
+
+  await db.close()
+})
diff --git a/test/fixtures/builders/8.js b/test/fixtures/builders/8.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f34056
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/builders/8.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+const HyperDB = require('../../../builder')
+const Hyperschema = require('hyperschema')
+const path = require('path')
+
+const SCHEMA_DIR = path.join(__dirname, '../generated/8/hyperschema')
+const DB_DIR = path.join(__dirname, '../generated/8/hyperdb')
+
+const schema = Hyperschema.from(SCHEMA_DIR)
+
+const dbSchema = schema.namespace('db')
+
+dbSchema.register({
+  name: 'status',
+  enum: ['pending', 'active', 'completed'],
+  strings: true
+})
+
+dbSchema.register({
+  name: 'task',
+  fields: [
+    {
+      name: 'project',
+      type: 'string',
+      required: true
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'status',
+      type: '@db/status',
+      required: true
+    },
+    {
+      name: 'name',
+      type: 'string',
+      required: true
+    }
+  ]
+})
+
+Hyperschema.toDisk(schema)
+
+const db = HyperDB.from(SCHEMA_DIR, DB_DIR)
+const testDb = db.namespace('db')
+
+testDb.collections.register({
+  name: 'tasks',
+  schema: '@db/task',
+  key: ['project', 'status', 'name']
+})
+
+HyperDB.toDisk(db)
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generate.js b/test/fixtures/generate.js
index fece4cd..50006a6 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/generate.js
+++ b/test/fixtures/generate.js
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ require('./builders/4.js')
 require('./builders/5.js')
 require('./builders/6.js')
 require('./builders/7.js')
+require('./builders/8.js')
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/db.json b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/db.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7a9e047
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/db.json
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{
+  "version": 1,
+  "offset": 0,
+  "schema": [
+    {
+      "name": "tasks",
+      "namespace": "db",
+      "id": 0,
+      "type": 1,
+      "version": 1,
+      "versionField": null,
+      "indexes": [],
+      "schema": "@db/task",
+      "derived": false,
+      "key": [
+        "project",
+        "status",
+        "name"
+      ],
+      "trigger": null
+    }
+  ]
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/index.js b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..014dc4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+// This file is autogenerated by the hyperdb compiler
+/* eslint-disable camelcase */
+
+const { IndexEncoder, c, b4a } = require('hyperdb/runtime')
+const { version, getEncoding, setVersion } = require('./messages.js')
+
+const versions = { schema: version, db: 1 }
+
+// '@db/tasks' collection key
+const collection0_key = new IndexEncoder([
+  IndexEncoder.STRING,
+  IndexEncoder.STRING,
+  IndexEncoder.STRING
+], { prefix: 0 })
+
+function collection0_indexify (record) {
+  const arr = []
+
+  const a0 = record.project
+  if (a0 === undefined) return arr
+  arr.push(a0)
+
+  const a1 = record.status
+  if (a1 === undefined) return arr
+  arr.push(a1)
+
+  const a2 = record.name
+  if (a2 === undefined) return arr
+  arr.push(a2)
+
+  return arr
+}
+
+// '@db/tasks' value encoding
+const collection0_enc = getEncoding('@db/task/hyperdb#0')
+
+// '@db/tasks' reconstruction function
+function collection0_reconstruct (schemaVersion, keyBuf, valueBuf) {
+  const key = collection0_key.decode(keyBuf)
+  setVersion(schemaVersion)
+  const state = { start: 0, end: valueBuf.byteLength, buffer: valueBuf }
+  const type = c.uint.decode(state)
+  if (type !== 0) throw new Error('Unknown collection type: ' + type)
+  collection0.decodedVersion = c.uint.decode(state)
+  const record = collection0_enc.decode(state)
+  record.project = key[0]
+  record.status = key[1]
+  record.name = key[2]
+  return record
+}
+// '@db/tasks' key reconstruction function
+function collection0_reconstruct_key (keyBuf) {
+  const key = collection0_key.decode(keyBuf)
+  return {
+    project: key[0],
+    status: key[1],
+    name: key[2]
+  }
+}
+
+// '@db/tasks'
+const collection0 = {
+  name: '@db/tasks',
+  id: 0,
+  version: 1,
+  encodeKey (record) {
+    const key = [record.project, record.status, record.name]
+    return collection0_key.encode(key)
+  },
+  encodeKeyRange ({ gt, lt, gte, lte } = {}) {
+    return collection0_key.encodeRange({
+      gt: gt ? collection0_indexify(gt) : null,
+      lt: lt ? collection0_indexify(lt) : null,
+      gte: gte ? collection0_indexify(gte) : null,
+      lte: lte ? collection0_indexify(lte) : null
+    })
+  },
+  encodeValue (schemaVersion, collectionVersion, record) {
+    setVersion(schemaVersion)
+    const state = { start: 0, end: 2, buffer: null }
+    collection0_enc.preencode(state, record)
+    state.buffer = b4a.allocUnsafe(state.end)
+    state.buffer[state.start++] = 0
+    state.buffer[state.start++] = collectionVersion
+    collection0_enc.encode(state, record)
+    return state.buffer
+  },
+  trigger: null,
+  reconstruct: collection0_reconstruct,
+  reconstructKey: collection0_reconstruct_key,
+  indexes: [],
+  decodedVersion: 0
+}
+
+const collections = [
+  collection0
+]
+
+const indexes = [
+]
+
+module.exports = { versions, collections, indexes, resolveCollection, resolveIndex }
+
+function resolveCollection (name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    case '@db/tasks': return collection0
+    default: return null
+  }
+}
+
+function resolveIndex (name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    default: return null
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/messages.js b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/messages.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f70d7a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperdb/messages.js
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+// This file is autogenerated by the hyperschema compiler
+// Schema Version: 1
+/* eslint-disable camelcase */
+/* eslint-disable quotes */
+/* eslint-disable space-before-function-paren */
+
+const { c } = require('hyperschema/runtime')
+
+const VERSION = 1
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
+let version = VERSION
+
+const encoding0_enum = {
+  pending: 'pending',
+  active: 'active',
+  completed: 'completed'
+}
+
+// @db/status enum
+const encoding0 = {
+  preencode (state, m) {
+    state.end++ // max enum is 3 so always one byte
+  },
+  encode (state, m) {
+    switch (m) {
+      case 'pending':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 1)
+        break
+      case 'active':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 2)
+        break
+      case 'completed':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 3)
+        break
+      default:
+        throw new Error('Unknown enum')
+    }
+  },
+  decode (state) {
+    switch (c.uint.decode(state)) {
+      case 1:
+        return 'pending'
+      case 2:
+        return 'active'
+      case 3:
+        return 'completed'
+      default: return null
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// @db/task
+const encoding1 = {
+  preencode(state, m) {
+    c.string.preencode(state, m.project)
+    encoding0.preencode(state, m.status)
+    c.string.preencode(state, m.name)
+  },
+  encode(state, m) {
+    c.string.encode(state, m.project)
+    encoding0.encode(state, m.status)
+    c.string.encode(state, m.name)
+  },
+  decode(state) {
+    const r0 = c.string.decode(state)
+    const r1 = encoding0.decode(state)
+    const r2 = c.string.decode(state)
+
+    return {
+      project: r0,
+      status: r1,
+      name: r2
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// @db/task/hyperdb#0
+const encoding2 = {
+  preencode(state, m) {
+
+  },
+  encode(state, m) {
+
+  },
+  decode(state) {
+    return {
+      project: null,
+      status: null,
+      name: null
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function setVersion(v) {
+  version = v
+}
+
+function encode(name, value, v = VERSION) {
+  version = v
+  return c.encode(getEncoding(name), value)
+}
+
+function decode(name, buffer, v = VERSION) {
+  version = v
+  return c.decode(getEncoding(name), buffer)
+}
+
+function getEnum(name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    case '@db/status':
+      return encoding0_enum
+    default:
+      throw new Error('Enum not found ' + name)
+  }
+}
+
+function getEncoding(name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    case '@db/status':
+      return encoding0
+    case '@db/task':
+      return encoding1
+    case '@db/task/hyperdb#0':
+      return encoding2
+    default:
+      throw new Error('Encoder not found ' + name)
+  }
+}
+
+function getStruct(name, v = VERSION) {
+  const enc = getEncoding(name)
+  return {
+    preencode(state, m) {
+      version = v
+      enc.preencode(state, m)
+    },
+    encode(state, m) {
+      version = v
+      enc.encode(state, m)
+    },
+    decode(state) {
+      version = v
+      return enc.decode(state)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+const resolveStruct = getStruct // compat
+
+module.exports = {
+  resolveStruct,
+  getStruct,
+  getEnum,
+  getEncoding,
+  encode,
+  decode,
+  setVersion,
+  version
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/index.js b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d93e05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/index.js
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+// This file is autogenerated by the hyperschema compiler
+// Schema Version: 1
+/* eslint-disable camelcase */
+/* eslint-disable quotes */
+/* eslint-disable space-before-function-paren */
+
+const { c } = require('hyperschema/runtime')
+
+const VERSION = 1
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
+let version = VERSION
+
+const encoding0_enum = {
+  pending: 'pending',
+  active: 'active',
+  completed: 'completed'
+}
+
+// @db/status enum
+const encoding0 = {
+  preencode (state, m) {
+    state.end++ // max enum is 3 so always one byte
+  },
+  encode (state, m) {
+    switch (m) {
+      case 'pending':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 1)
+        break
+      case 'active':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 2)
+        break
+      case 'completed':
+        c.uint.encode(state, 3)
+        break
+      default:
+        throw new Error('Unknown enum')
+    }
+  },
+  decode (state) {
+    switch (c.uint.decode(state)) {
+      case 1:
+        return 'pending'
+      case 2:
+        return 'active'
+      case 3:
+        return 'completed'
+      default: return null
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// @db/task
+const encoding1 = {
+  preencode(state, m) {
+    c.string.preencode(state, m.project)
+    encoding0.preencode(state, m.status)
+    c.string.preencode(state, m.name)
+  },
+  encode(state, m) {
+    c.string.encode(state, m.project)
+    encoding0.encode(state, m.status)
+    c.string.encode(state, m.name)
+  },
+  decode(state) {
+    const r0 = c.string.decode(state)
+    const r1 = encoding0.decode(state)
+    const r2 = c.string.decode(state)
+
+    return {
+      project: r0,
+      status: r1,
+      name: r2
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function setVersion(v) {
+  version = v
+}
+
+function encode(name, value, v = VERSION) {
+  version = v
+  return c.encode(getEncoding(name), value)
+}
+
+function decode(name, buffer, v = VERSION) {
+  version = v
+  return c.decode(getEncoding(name), buffer)
+}
+
+function getEnum(name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    case '@db/status':
+      return encoding0_enum
+    default:
+      throw new Error('Enum not found ' + name)
+  }
+}
+
+function getEncoding(name) {
+  switch (name) {
+    case '@db/status':
+      return encoding0
+    case '@db/task':
+      return encoding1
+    default:
+      throw new Error('Encoder not found ' + name)
+  }
+}
+
+function getStruct(name, v = VERSION) {
+  const enc = getEncoding(name)
+  return {
+    preencode(state, m) {
+      version = v
+      enc.preencode(state, m)
+    },
+    encode(state, m) {
+      version = v
+      enc.encode(state, m)
+    },
+    decode(state) {
+      version = v
+      return enc.decode(state)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+const resolveStruct = getStruct // compat
+
+module.exports = {
+  resolveStruct,
+  getStruct,
+  getEnum,
+  getEncoding,
+  encode,
+  decode,
+  setVersion,
+  version
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/schema.json b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/schema.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..28a0ad5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/generated/8/hyperschema/schema.json
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+{
+  "version": 1,
+  "schema": [
+    {
+      "name": "status",
+      "namespace": "db",
+      "offset": 1,
+      "enum": [
+        {
+          "key": "pending",
+          "version": 1
+        },
+        {
+          "key": "active",
+          "version": 1
+        },
+        {
+          "key": "completed",
+          "version": 1
+        }
+      ],
+      "strings": true
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "task",
+      "namespace": "db",
+      "compact": false,
+      "flagsPosition": -1,
+      "fields": [
+        {
+          "name": "project",
+          "required": true,
+          "type": "string",
+          "version": 1
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "status",
+          "required": true,
+          "type": "@db/status",
+          "version": 1
+        },
+        {
+          "name": "name",
+          "required": true,
+          "type": "string",
+          "version": 1
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}