diff --git a/flag_engine/identities/traits/models.py b/flag_engine/identities/traits/models.py
index 712df77..ee2f249 100644
--- a/flag_engine/identities/traits/models.py
+++ b/flag_engine/identities/traits/models.py
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
-from pydantic import BaseModel
+from typing import Any, get_args
+
+from pydantic import BaseModel, validator
 
 from flag_engine.identities.traits.types import TraitValue
 
+TRAIT_VALUE_TYPES = get_args(TraitValue)
+
 
 class TraitModel(BaseModel):
     trait_key: str
     trait_value: TraitValue = ...
 
+    @validator("trait_value", pre=True)
+    def convert_trait_value(cls, value: Any) -> TraitValue:
+        if isinstance(value, TRAIT_VALUE_TYPES):
+            return value
+        return str(value)
+
     class Config:
         smart_union: bool = True
diff --git a/tests/unit/identities/test_identities_models.py b/tests/unit/identities/test_identities_models.py
index 0a221e2..11a15dd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/identities/test_identities_models.py
+++ b/tests/unit/identities/test_identities_models.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from typing import Any
+
 import pytest
 
 from flag_engine.features.models import FeatureModel, FeatureStateModel
@@ -186,6 +187,9 @@ def test_get_hash_key_with_use_identity_composite_key_for_hashing_disabled(ident
         (False, False),
         (0.0, 0.0),
         (0, 0),
+        (None, None),
+        ([], "[]"),
+        (["SUPERADMIN"], "['SUPERADMIN']"),
     ],
 )
 def test_trait_model__deserialize__expected_trait_value(