diff --git a/runtime/sam/expr/eval.go b/runtime/sam/expr/eval.go
index f627db2fc..72e3cf174 100644
--- a/runtime/sam/expr/eval.go
+++ b/runtime/sam/expr/eval.go
@@ -273,15 +273,7 @@ func (n *numeric) eval(this super.Value) (super.Value, super.Value, *super.Value
 	if rhs.IsError() {
 		return super.Null, super.Null, &rhs
 	}
-	return enumToIndex(lhs), enumToIndex(rhs), nil
-}
-
-// enumToIndex converts an enum to its index value.
-func enumToIndex(val super.Value) super.Value {
-	if _, ok := val.Type().(*super.TypeEnum); ok {
-		return super.NewValue(super.TypeUint64, val.Bytes())
-	}
-	return val
+	return lhs, rhs, nil
 }
 
 type Compare struct {
diff --git a/runtime/vam/expr/arith.go b/runtime/vam/expr/arith.go
index 04420c077..7b7f2cef4 100644
--- a/runtime/vam/expr/arith.go
+++ b/runtime/vam/expr/arith.go
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ func (a *Arith) eval(vecs ...vector.Any) (out vector.Any) {
 	if vec, ok := CheckForNullThenError(vecs); ok {
 		return vec
 	}
-	lhs := enumToIndex(vector.Under(vecs[0]))
-	rhs := enumToIndex(vector.Under(vecs[1]))
+	lhs := vector.Under(vecs[0])
+	rhs := vector.Under(vecs[1])
 	lhs, rhs, errVal := coerceVals(a.sctx, lhs, rhs)
 	if errVal != nil {
 		return errVal
@@ -71,18 +71,6 @@ func (a *Arith) eval(vecs ...vector.Any) (out vector.Any) {
 	return f(lhs, rhs)
 }
 
-func enumToIndex(vec vector.Any) vector.Any {
-	switch vec := vec.(type) {
-	case *vector.View:
-		if enum, ok := vec.Any.(*vector.Enum); ok {
-			return vector.Pick(enum.Uint, vec.Index)
-		}
-	case *vector.Enum:
-		return vec.Uint
-	}
-	return vec
-}
-
 func (a *Arith) evalDivideByZero(kind vector.Kind, lhs, rhs vector.Any) vector.Any {
 	var errs []uint32
 	var out vector.Any
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bool.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bool.yaml
index 5db99035e..74d3e6142 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bool.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bool.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   true
@@ -47,3 +48,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to bool",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to bool",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to bool",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to bool",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bytes.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bytes.yaml
index fe85be944..a7d60a7d6 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bytes.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/bytes.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ input: |
   null
   null::({}|null)
   {x:"foo"}
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   error("bad")
 
 output: |
@@ -20,4 +21,5 @@ output: |
   null::(bytes|null)
   null::(bytes|null)
   error({message:"cannot cast to bytes",on:{x:"foo"}})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to bytes",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/duration.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/duration.yaml
index 90e69cceb..7d0855778 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/duration.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/duration.yaml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   10d
@@ -33,3 +34,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to duration",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to duration",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to duration",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to duration",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/float.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/float.yaml
index 7eb711e9e..a4e3c851f 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/float.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/float.yaml
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   error("bad")
@@ -65,3 +66,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to float64",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to float64",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to float64",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to float64",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/int.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/int.yaml
index 8485eba79..ffb2dd635 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/int.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/int.yaml
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   error("bad")
@@ -81,3 +82,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to int64",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to int64",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to int64",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to int64",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/ip.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/ip.yaml
index 4f6b63337..b163f16af 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/ip.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/ip.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ input: |
   1.1.1.2::=named
   34
   35
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   error("bad")
 
 output: |
@@ -24,4 +25,5 @@ output: |
   1.1.1.2
   error({message:"cannot cast to ip",on:34})
   error({message:"cannot cast to ip",on:35})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to ip",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/map.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/map.yaml
index 47843d094..007761eec 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/map.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/map.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ input: |
   null
   null::({}|null)
   1
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   error("bad")
 
 output: |
@@ -17,4 +18,5 @@ output: |
   null::(null||{int64:|{string:int64}|}|)
   null::(null||{int64:|{string:int64}|}|)
   error({message:"cannot cast to |{int64:|{string:int64}|}|",on:1})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to |{int64:|{string:int64}|}|",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/net.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/net.yaml
index 016b001d0..8ffcfcb5e 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/net.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/net.yaml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ input: |
   10.0.0.0/8::=named
   -35
   34
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   error("bad")
 
 output: |
@@ -22,4 +23,5 @@ output: |
   10.0.0.0/8
   error({message:"cannot cast to net",on:-35})
   error({message:"cannot cast to net",on:34})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to net",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/record.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/record.yaml
index 6e4d958e9..99b71808a 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/record.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/record.yaml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ input: |
   null
   null::({}|null)
   1
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   error("bad")
 
 output: |
@@ -23,4 +24,5 @@ output: |
   null::(null|{a:int64,b:string,c:{},d:[{e:string,f:int64}]})
   null::(null|{a:int64,b:string,c:{},d:[{e:string,f:int64}]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to {a:int64,b:string,c:{},d:[{e:string,f:int64}]}",on:1})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to {a:int64,b:string,c:{},d:[{e:string,f:int64}]}",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/time.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/time.yaml
index 672a45487..149c10097 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/time.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/time.yaml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   2023-10-19T23:11:20.999803Z
@@ -39,3 +40,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to time",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to time",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to time",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to time",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/type.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/type.yaml
index 4392e67ad..ee1f947e6 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/type.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/type.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ input: |
   "{x:\"foo\"}"
   "<int>"
   1
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
   null
   null::({}|null)
   error("bad")
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to type",on:"{x:\"foo\"}"})
   error({message:"cannot cast to type",on:"<int>"})
   error({message:"cannot cast to type",on:1})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to type",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
   null::(type|null)
   null::(type|null)
   error("bad")
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/uint.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/uint.yaml
index d41b8fb92..8cdb96730 100644
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/uint.yaml
+++ b/runtime/ztests/expr/cast/uint.yaml
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ input: |
   [1,2]
   |[1,2]|
   |{"x":1}|
+  "e2"::enum(e1,e2)
 
 output: |
   error("bad")
@@ -56,3 +57,4 @@ output: |
   error({message:"cannot cast to uint64",on:[1,2]})
   error({message:"cannot cast to uint64",on:|[1,2]|})
   error({message:"cannot cast to uint64",on:|{"x":1}|})
+  error({message:"cannot cast to uint64",on:"e2"::enum(e1,e2)})
diff --git a/runtime/ztests/expr/enum.yaml b/runtime/ztests/expr/enum.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index a5877ea17..000000000
--- a/runtime/ztests/expr/enum.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-spq: "put s:=e::string, v:=e+1"
-
-vector: true
-
-input: |
-  {e:"foo"::enum(foo,bar,baz)}
-  {e:"bar"::enum(foo,bar,baz)}
-  {e:"baz"::enum(foo,bar,baz)}
-
-output: |
-  {e:"foo"::enum(foo,bar,baz),s:"foo",v:1}
-  {e:"bar"::enum(foo,bar,baz),s:"bar",v:2}
-  {e:"baz"::enum(foo,bar,baz),s:"baz",v:3}