Hydration error for int-backed enums stored as string values in MySQL ENUM columns #7577

New Issue

admin · 2026-01-22T15:53:43+01:00

admin commented

2026-01-22 15:53:43 +01:00

Originally created by @TheBreaken on GitHub (Nov 17, 2025).

Bug Report

Summary

When using PHP backed enums with Doctrine, a type mismatch between the database column and the PHP enum unexpectedly triggers an error.
This occurs when the database stores enum values as strings (e.g., MySQL ENUM or VARCHAR) but the PHP enum uses integers as its backed type.

Example use case: MySQL ENUM columns containing internal codes like 500 or 510 are stored as strings, while the corresponding PHP enum uses integer backed values.

Doctrine currently does not cast these values and fails when trying to hydrate the enum.

Current behavior

If the database column contains a value like "500" (string), but the PHP enum expects an integer (e.g., 500), Doctrine throws an error during hydration:

Doctrine does not cast the value
Doctrine tries to hydrate the enum using the string "500"
This results in a ValueError or similar enum resolution failure

Expected behavior

Doctrine should:

Detect that the enum’s backed type is int
Automatically cast the incoming database value to int when possible
Hydrate the enum correctly without error

Originally created by @TheBreaken on GitHub (Nov 17, 2025). ### Bug Report #### Summary When using PHP backed enums with Doctrine, a type mismatch between the database column and the PHP enum unexpectedly triggers an error. This occurs when the database stores enum values as strings (e.g., MySQL ENUM or VARCHAR) but the PHP enum uses integers as its backed type. Example use case: MySQL ENUM columns containing internal codes like 500 or 510 are stored as strings, while the corresponding PHP enum uses integer backed values. Doctrine currently does not cast these values and fails when trying to hydrate the enum. #### Current behavior If the database column contains a value like "500" (string), but the PHP enum expects an integer (e.g., 500), Doctrine throws an error during hydration: - Doctrine does not cast the value - Doctrine tries to hydrate the enum using the string "500" - This results in a ValueError or similar enum resolution failure #### Expected behavior Doctrine should: - Detect that the enum’s backed type is int - Automatically cast the incoming database value to int when possible - Hydrate the enum correctly without error

admin closed this issue

2026-01-22 15:53:43 +01:00

admin commented

2026-01-22 15:53:44 +01:00

@derrabus commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025):

No tests?

@derrabus commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025): No tests?

admin commented

2026-01-22 15:53:45 +01:00

@TheBreaken commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025):

@derrabus I added now some tests in the PR https://github.com/doctrine/orm/pull/12275

@TheBreaken commented on GitHub (Nov 18, 2025): @derrabus I added now some tests in the PR https://github.com/doctrine/orm/pull/12275