diff --git a/workitem/enum_type.go b/workitem/enum_type.go
index e2e254bc84..0104710631 100644
--- a/workitem/enum_type.go
+++ b/workitem/enum_type.go
@@ -162,10 +162,17 @@ func containsAll(a []interface{}, v []interface{}) bool {
 	return result
 }
 
+// ConvertFromModel implements the FieldType interface
 func (t EnumType) ConvertFromModel(value interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
-	converted, err := t.BaseType.ConvertToModel(value)
+	if value == nil {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+	converted, err := t.BaseType.ConvertFromModel(value)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error converting enum value: %s", err.Error())
+		return nil, errs.Errorf("error converting enum value: %s", err.Error())
+	}
+	if !contains(t.Values, converted) {
+		return nil, errs.Errorf("value: %+v (%[1]T) is not part of allowed enum values: %+v", value, t.Values)
 	}
 	return converted, nil
 }
diff --git a/workitem/enum_type_blackbox_test.go b/workitem/enum_type_blackbox_test.go
index 7f7a2fa381..424b5cbdd6 100644
--- a/workitem/enum_type_blackbox_test.go
+++ b/workitem/enum_type_blackbox_test.go
@@ -339,3 +339,86 @@ func TestEnumType_EqualEnclosing(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	})
 }
+
+func TestEnumType_ConvertFromModel(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	resource.Require(t, resource.UnitTest)
+	type testCase struct {
+		subTestName    string
+		input          interface{} // contains valid and invalid values
+		expectedOutput interface{}
+		wantErr        bool
+	}
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		enum w.EnumType
+		data []testCase
+	}{
+		{
+			"kind string",
+			w.EnumType{
+				SimpleType: w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindEnum},
+				BaseType:   w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindString},
+				Values:     []interface{}{"first", "second", "third"},
+			},
+			[]testCase{
+				{"ok", "second", "second", false},
+				{"ok - nil", nil, nil, false},
+				{"fail - invalid string", "fourth", nil, true},
+				{"fail - int", 11, nil, true},
+				{"fail - float", 1.3, nil, true},
+				{"fail - empty string", "", nil, true},
+				{"fail - list", []string{"x", "y"}, nil, true},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"kind int",
+			w.EnumType{
+				SimpleType: w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindEnum},
+				BaseType:   w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindInteger},
+				Values:     []interface{}{4, 5, 6},
+			},
+			[]testCase{
+				{"ok", 4, 4, false},
+				{"ok - nil", nil, nil, false},
+				{"fail - invalid int", 2, nil, true},
+				{"fail - string", "11", nil, true},
+				{"fail - float", 1.3, nil, true},
+				{"fail - bool", true, nil, true},
+				{"fail - list", []string{"x", "y"}, nil, true},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"kind float",
+			w.EnumType{
+				SimpleType: w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindEnum},
+				BaseType:   w.SimpleType{Kind: w.KindFloat},
+				Values:     []interface{}{1.1, 2.2, 3.3},
+			},
+			[]testCase{
+				{"ok", 1.1, 1.1, false},
+				{"ok - nil", nil, nil, false},
+				{"fail - invalid float", 4.4, nil, true},
+				{"fail - int", 1, nil, true},
+				{"fail - string", "11", nil, true},
+				{"fail - bool", true, nil, true},
+				{"fail - list", []string{"x", "y"}, nil, true},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			for _, subtt := range test.data {
+				t.Run(subtt.subTestName, func(tt *testing.T) {
+					val, err := test.enum.ConvertFromModel(subtt.input)
+					if subtt.wantErr {
+						require.Error(tt, err)
+					} else {
+						require.NoError(tt, err)
+					}
+					require.Equal(tt, subtt.expectedOutput, val)
+				})
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/workitem/simple_type.go b/workitem/simple_type.go
index 2daeae9348..339dff1bdc 100644
--- a/workitem/simple_type.go
+++ b/workitem/simple_type.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (t SimpleType) ConvertToModel(value interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-// ConvertFromModel implements the t interface
+// ConvertFromModel implements the FieldType interface
 func (t SimpleType) ConvertFromModel(value interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 	if value == nil {
 		return nil, nil
diff --git a/workitem/workitem_repository.go b/workitem/workitem_repository.go
index 6acf658f9b..6c5b9acb4d 100644
--- a/workitem/workitem_repository.go
+++ b/workitem/workitem_repository.go
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ func (r *GormWorkItemRepository) Save(ctx context.Context, spaceID uuid.UUID, up
 		}
 		fieldValue := updatedWorkItem.Fields[fieldName]
 		var err error
-		if fieldName == SystemAssignees || fieldName == SystemLabels || fieldName == SystemBoardcolumns {
+		if fieldDef.Type.GetKind() == KindList {
 			switch fieldValue.(type) {
 			case []string:
 				if len(fieldValue.([]string)) == 0 {
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ func (r *GormWorkItemRepository) Create(ctx context.Context, spaceID uuid.UUID,
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, errors.NewBadParameterError(fieldName, fieldValue) // TODO(kwk): Change errors pkg to consume the original error as well
 		}
-		if (fieldName == SystemAssignees || fieldName == SystemLabels || fieldName == SystemBoardcolumns) && fieldValue == nil {
+		if fieldDef.Type.GetKind() == KindList && fieldValue == nil {
 			delete(wi.Fields, fieldName)
 		}
 		if fieldName == SystemDescription && wi.Fields[fieldName] != nil {