diff --git a/RATapi/inputs.py b/RATapi/inputs.py
index 07dc7087..49e7b0aa 100644
--- a/RATapi/inputs.py
+++ b/RATapi/inputs.py
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ def make_controls(input_controls: RATapi.Controls, checks: Checks) -> Control:
     controls.populationSize = input_controls.populationSize
     controls.fWeight = input_controls.fWeight
     controls.crossoverProbability = input_controls.crossoverProbability
-    controls.strategy = input_controls.strategy.value  # Required for the IntEnum
+    controls.strategy = int(input_controls.strategy)  # RAT core expects strategy as an integer
     controls.targetValue = input_controls.targetValue
     controls.numGenerations = input_controls.numGenerations
     # NS
diff --git a/RATapi/utils/enums.py b/RATapi/utils/enums.py
index 26eea4a9..dcefd3e2 100644
--- a/RATapi/utils/enums.py
+++ b/RATapi/utils/enums.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from enum import Enum
+from typing import Union
 
 try:
     from enum import StrEnum
@@ -48,15 +48,28 @@ class Display(RATEnum):
     Final = "final"
 
 
-class Strategies(Enum):
-    """Defines the available options for strategies"""
+class Strategies(RATEnum):
+    """Defines the available options for differential evolution strategies"""
 
-    Random = 1
-    LocalToBest = 2
-    BestWithJitter = 3
-    RandomWithPerVectorDither = 4
-    RandomWithPerGenerationDither = 5
-    RandomEitherOrAlgorithm = 6
+    Random = "random"
+    LocalToBest = "local to best"
+    BestWithJitter = "best jitter"
+    RandomWithPerVectorDither = "vector dither"
+    RandomWithPerGenerationDither = "generation dither"
+    RandomEitherOrAlgorithm = "either or"
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _missing_(cls, value: Union[int, str]):
+        # legacy compatibility with strategies being 1-indexed ints under the hood
+        if isinstance(value, int):
+            if value < 1 or value > 6:
+                raise IndexError("Strategy indices must be between 1 and 6.")
+            return list(cls)[value - 1]
+        return super()._missing_(value)
+
+    def __int__(self):
+        # as RAT core expects strategy as an integer
+        return list(Strategies).index(self) + 1
 
 
 class BoundHandling(RATEnum):
diff --git a/tests/test_controls.py b/tests/test_controls.py
index b0c33a24..391d2e35 100644
--- a/tests/test_controls.py
+++ b/tests/test_controls.py
@@ -374,23 +374,23 @@ def setup_class(self):
     @pytest.fixture
     def table_str(self):
         table_str = (
-            "+----------------------+--------------------------------------+\n"
-            "|       Property       |                Value                 |\n"
-            "+----------------------+--------------------------------------+\n"
-            "|      procedure       |                  de                  |\n"
-            "|       parallel       |                single                |\n"
-            "|   calcSldDuringFit   |                False                 |\n"
-            "|    resampleParams    |              [0.9, 50]               |\n"
-            "|       display        |                 iter                 |\n"
-            "|    populationSize    |                  20                  |\n"
-            "|       fWeight        |                 0.5                  |\n"
-            "| crossoverProbability |                 0.8                  |\n"
-            "|       strategy       | Strategies.RandomWithPerVectorDither |\n"
-            "|     targetValue      |                 1.0                  |\n"
-            "|    numGenerations    |                 500                  |\n"
-            "|      updateFreq      |                  1                   |\n"
-            "|    updatePlotFreq    |                  20                  |\n"
-            "+----------------------+--------------------------------------+"
+            "+----------------------+---------------+\n"
+            "|       Property       |     Value     |\n"
+            "+----------------------+---------------+\n"
+            "|      procedure       |       de      |\n"
+            "|       parallel       |     single    |\n"
+            "|   calcSldDuringFit   |     False     |\n"
+            "|    resampleParams    |   [0.9, 50]   |\n"
+            "|       display        |      iter     |\n"
+            "|    populationSize    |       20      |\n"
+            "|       fWeight        |      0.5      |\n"
+            "| crossoverProbability |      0.8      |\n"
+            "|       strategy       | vector dither |\n"
+            "|     targetValue      |      1.0      |\n"
+            "|    numGenerations    |      500      |\n"
+            "|      updateFreq      |       1       |\n"
+            "|    updatePlotFreq    |       20      |\n"
+            "+----------------------+---------------+"
         )
 
         return table_str
diff --git a/tests/test_enums.py b/tests/test_enums.py
index 0b3911ae..fe885e31 100644
--- a/tests/test_enums.py
+++ b/tests/test_enums.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     Priors,
     Procedures,
     RATEnum,
+    Strategies,
     TypeOptions,
 )
 
@@ -98,3 +99,8 @@ def test_alternative_spellings(test_enum: Callable, test_str: str, expected_valu
     assert test_enum(test_str) == expected_value
     assert test_enum(test_str.upper()) == expected_value
     assert test_enum(test_str.title()) == expected_value
+
+
+def test_integer_strategies():
+    """Test that strategies can be input as integers."""
+    assert [Strategies(i) for i in range(1, len(Strategies) + 1)] == list(Strategies)