diff --git a/examples/applets/config/contents/config/main.xml b/examples/applets/config/contents/config/main.xml
index 889f44149..f90376590 100644
--- a/examples/applets/config/contents/config/main.xml
+++ b/examples/applets/config/contents/config/main.xml
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@
       <default>test2</default>
     </entry>
     <entry name="EnumTest" type="Enum">
-      <default>0</default>
+      <default>Value2</default>
       <choices>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.Floating"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.Desktop"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.FullScreen"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.LeftEdge"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.RightEdge"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.TopEdge"/>
-          <choice name="PlasmaCore.Types.BottomEdge"/>
+          <choice name="Value0"/>
+          <choice name="Value1"/>
+          <choice name="Value2"/>
+          <choice name="Value3"/>
+          <choice name="Value4"/>
+          <choice name="Value5"/>
+          <choice name="Value6"/>
       </choices>
     </entry>
   </group>
diff --git a/src/plasma/configloader.cpp b/src/plasma/configloader.cpp
index 91d60a619..6db1b864b 100644
--- a/src/plasma/configloader.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/configloader.cpp
@@ -223,11 +223,24 @@ void ConfigLoaderHandler::addItem()
                                          QDateTime::fromString(m_default), m_key);
     } else if (m_type == "enum") {
         m_key = (m_key.isEmpty()) ? m_name : m_key;
+        bool ok;
+        int value = m_default.toUInt(&ok);
+        //if is not an integer, try to find the string value among the registered choices
+        if (!ok) {
+            int i = 0;
+            foreach (const KConfigSkeleton::ItemEnum::Choice &choice, m_enumChoices) {
+                if (choice.name == m_default) {
+                    value = i;
+                    break;
+                }
+                ++i;
+            }
+        }
         KConfigSkeleton::ItemEnum *enumItem =
             new KConfigSkeleton::ItemEnum(m_config->currentGroup(),
                                           m_key, *d->newInt(),
                                           m_enumChoices,
-                                          m_default.toUInt());
+                                          value);
         m_config->addItem(enumItem, m_name);
         item = enumItem;
     } else if (m_type == "font") {