diff --git a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/sensor.py b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/sensor.py
index df51dd60a15..1eabb509abd 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/sensor.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/sensor.py
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ class MqttSensor(MqttEntity, RestoreSensor):
                 else:
                     self._attr_native_value = new_value
                 return
-            if self.device_class is None:
+            if self.device_class in {None, SensorDeviceClass.ENUM}:
                 self._attr_native_value = new_value
                 return
             if (payload_datetime := dt_util.parse_datetime(new_value)) is None:
diff --git a/tests/components/mqtt/test_sensor.py b/tests/components/mqtt/test_sensor.py
index 09944b56c04..cee3aae375a 100644
--- a/tests/components/mqtt/test_sensor.py
+++ b/tests/components/mqtt/test_sensor.py
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ async def test_setting_sensor_value_via_mqtt_message(
             False,
         ),
         (sensor.SensorDeviceClass.TIMESTAMP, "invalid", STATE_UNKNOWN, True),
+        (sensor.SensorDeviceClass.ENUM, "some_value", "some_value", False),
+        (None, "some_value", "some_value", False),
     ],
 )
 async def test_setting_sensor_native_value_handling_via_mqtt_message(