diff --git a/src/ophyd_async/core/soft_signal_backend.py b/src/ophyd_async/core/soft_signal_backend.py
index 415c167089..c7c7c6043a 100644
--- a/src/ophyd_async/core/soft_signal_backend.py
+++ b/src/ophyd_async/core/soft_signal_backend.py
@@ -93,10 +93,7 @@ def __init__(self, datatype: Union[RuntimeSubsetEnum, Enum]):
             self.choices = datatype.choices
 
     def write_value(self, value: Union[Enum, str]) -> str:
-        if isinstance(value, Enum):
-            return value.value
-        else:  # Runtime enum
-            return value
+        return value
 
     def get_datakey(self, source: str, value, **metadata) -> DataKey:
         return {
diff --git a/tests/core/test_soft_signal_backend.py b/tests/core/test_soft_signal_backend.py
index 66d0bb07dd..109f22c97d 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_soft_signal_backend.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_soft_signal_backend.py
@@ -115,6 +115,14 @@ async def test_soft_signal_backend_get_put_monitor(
         q.close()
 
 
+async def test_soft_signal_backend_enum_value_equivalence():
+    soft_signal = SoftSignalBackend(MyEnum)
+    await soft_signal.connect()
+    assert (await soft_signal.get_value()) is MyEnum.a
+    await soft_signal.put(MyEnum.b)
+    assert (await soft_signal.get_value()) is MyEnum.b
+
+
 async def test_soft_signal_backend_with_numpy_typing():
     soft_backend = SoftSignalBackend(npt.NDArray[np.float64])
     await soft_backend.connect()