diff --git a/server/text_generation_server/models/__init__.py b/server/text_generation_server/models/__init__.py
index 6593229e..e6afe9e6 100644
--- a/server/text_generation_server/models/__init__.py
+++ b/server/text_generation_server/models/__init__.py
@@ -298,8 +298,12 @@ class ModelType(enum.Enum):
         "multimodal": True,
     }
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        return self.value["type"]
+    @classmethod
+    def from_str(cls, model_type: str) -> "ModelType":
+        for model in cls:
+            if model.value["type"] == model_type:
+                return model
+        raise ValueError(f"Unknown model type {model_type}")
 
 
 def get_model(
@@ -488,6 +492,9 @@ def get_model(
             f"The backend {SYSTEM} does not support sliding window attention that is used by the model type {model_type}. To use this model nonetheless with the {SYSTEM} backend, please launch TGI with the argument `--max-input-tokens` smaller than sliding_window={sliding_window} (got here max_input_tokens={max_input_tokens})."
         )
 
+    # convert model_type to ModelType enum
+    model_type = ModelType.from_str(model_type)
+
     if model_type == ModelType.DEEPSEEK_V2:
         if FLASH_ATTENTION:
             head_size = max(