diff --git a/src/buildstream/_frontend/cli.py b/src/buildstream/_frontend/cli.py
index e9e6ddfb9..b6d8a649d 100644
--- a/src/buildstream/_frontend/cli.py
+++ b/src/buildstream/_frontend/cli.py
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ def build(
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.ALL,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.ALL),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ def source():
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ def source_fetch(app, elements, deps, except_, source_remotes, ignore_project_so
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ def source_push(app, elements, deps, except_, source_remotes, ignore_project_sou
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ def source_track(app, elements, deps, except_, cross_junctions):
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ def artifact():
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ def artifact_show(app, deps, artifact_remotes, ignore_project_artifact_remotes,
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.RUN,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.RUN),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1464,7 +1464,7 @@ def artifact_checkout(
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ def artifact_pull(app, deps, artifact_remotes, ignore_project_artifact_remotes,
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
@@ -1673,7 +1673,7 @@ def artifact_list_contents(app, artifacts, long_):
 @click.option(
     "--deps",
     "-d",
-    default=_PipelineSelection.NONE,
+    default=str(_PipelineSelection.NONE),
     show_default=True,
     type=FastEnumType(
         _PipelineSelection,
diff --git a/src/buildstream/types.py b/src/buildstream/types.py
index 0cc2106b3..a21e1dc29 100644
--- a/src/buildstream/types.py
+++ b/src/buildstream/types.py
@@ -81,11 +81,14 @@ def __hash__(self):
         return hash(id(self))
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return "{}.{}".format(self.__class__.__name__, self.name)
+        return str(self.value)
 
     def __reduce__(self):
         return self.__class__, (self.value,)
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<{}.{}: {}>".format(self.__class__.__name__, self.name, self.value)
+
 
 class CoreWarnings:
     """CoreWarnings()
@@ -307,9 +310,6 @@ class _PipelineSelection(FastEnum):
     # including the targets
     RUN = "run"
 
-    def __str__(self):
-        return str(self.value)
-
 
 # _ProjectInformation()
 #