diff --git a/python/core/__init__.py.in b/python/core/__init__.py.in
index 9d3baf35965..94925cf61e5 100644
--- a/python/core/__init__.py.in
+++ b/python/core/__init__.py.in
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from .additions.projectdirtyblocker import ProjectDirtyBlocker
 from .additions.qgsfeature import mapping_feature
 from .additions.qgsfunction import register_function, qgsfunction
 from .additions.qgsgeometry import _geometryNonZero, mapping_geometry
-from .additions.qgssettings import _qgssettings_enum_value, _qgssettings_flag_value
+from .additions.qgssettings import _qgssettings_enum_value, _qgssettings_set_enum_value, _qgssettings_flag_value
 from .additions.qgstaskwrapper import QgsTaskWrapper
 from .additions.readwritecontextentercategory import ReadWriteContextEnterCategory
 
@@ -48,5 +48,6 @@ QgsProcessingOutputLayerDefinition.__repr__ = processing_output_layer_repr
 QgsProject.blockDirtying = ProjectDirtyBlocker
 QgsReadWriteContext.enterCategory = ReadWriteContextEnterCategory
 QgsSettings.enumValue = _qgssettings_enum_value
+QgsSettings.setEnumValue = _qgssettings_set_enum_value
 QgsSettings.flagValue = _qgssettings_flag_value
 QgsTask.fromFunction = fromFunction
diff --git a/python/core/additions/qgssettings.py b/python/core/additions/qgssettings.py
index 6ab13870dac..d8273a66deb 100644
--- a/python/core/additions/qgssettings.py
+++ b/python/core/additions/qgssettings.py
@@ -18,15 +18,14 @@
 """
 
 from .metaenum import metaEnumFromValue
-import qgis
+from qgis.core import QgsSettings
 
 
-def _qgssettings_enum_value(self, key, enumDefaultValue, section=None):
+def _qgssettings_enum_value(self, key, enumDefaultValue, section=QgsSettings.NoSection):
     """
-    Return the setting value for a setting based on an enum.
+    Return the setting value for a setting based on an enum.
     This forces the output to be a valid and existing entry of the enum.
     Hence if the setting value is incorrect, the given default value is returned.
-    This tries first with setting as a string (as the enum) and then as an integer value.
 
     :param self: the QgsSettings object
     :param key: the setting key
@@ -37,15 +36,13 @@ def _qgssettings_enum_value(self, key, enumDefaultValue, section=None):
      .. note::  The enum needs to be declared with Q_ENUM.
 
     """
-    if section is None:
-        section = self.NoSection
 
     meta_enum = metaEnumFromValue(enumDefaultValue)
     if meta_enum is None or not meta_enum.isValid():
         # this should not happen
         raise ValueError("could not get the meta enum for given enum default value (type: {})".format(type(enumDefaultValue)))
 
-    str_val = self.value(key, meta_enum.valueToKey(enumDefaultValue))
+    str_val = self.value(key, meta_enum.valueToKey(enumDefaultValue), str, section)
     # need a new meta enum as QgsSettings.value is making a copy and leads to seg fault (proaby a PyQt issue)
     meta_enum_2 = metaEnumFromValue(enumDefaultValue)
     (enu_val, ok) = meta_enum_2.keyToValue(str_val)
@@ -56,12 +53,34 @@ def _qgssettings_enum_value(self, key, enumDefaultValue, section=None):
     return enu_val
 
 
-def _qgssettings_flag_value(self, key, flagDefaultValue, section=None):
+def _qgssettings_set_enum_value(self, key, enumValue, section=QgsSettings.NoSection):
     """
-    Return the setting value for a setting based on a flag.
+    Save the setting value for a setting based on an enum.
+    This forces the output to be a valid and existing entry of the enum.
+    The entry is saved as a string.
+
+    :param self: the QgsSettings object
+    :param key: the setting key
+    :param enumValue: the value to be saved
+    :param section: optional section
+    :return: the setting value
+
+     .. note::  The enum needs to be declared with Q_ENUM.
+
+    """
+    meta_enum = metaEnumFromValue(enumValue)
+    if meta_enum is None or not meta_enum.isValid():
+        # this should not happen
+        raise ValueError("could not get the meta enum for given enum default value (type: {})".format(type(enumValue)))
+
+    self.setValue(key, meta_enum.valueToKey(enumValue), section)
+
+
+def _qgssettings_flag_value(self, key, flagDefaultValue, section=QgsSettings.NoSection):
+    """
+    Return the setting value for a setting based on a flag.
     This forces the output to be a valid and existing entry of the enum.
     Hence if the setting value is incorrect, the given default value is returned.
-    This tries first with setting as a string (as the enum) and then as an integer value.
 
     :param self: the QgsSettings object
     :param key: the setting key
@@ -72,8 +91,6 @@ def _qgssettings_flag_value(self, key, flagDefaultValue, section=None):
      .. note::  The flag needs to be declared with Q_FLAG (not Q_FLAGS).
 
     """
-    if section is None:
-        section = self.NoSection
 
     # There is an issue in SIP, flags.__class__ does not return the proper class
     # (e.g. Filters instead of QgsMapLayerProxyModel.Filters)
@@ -88,7 +105,7 @@ def _qgssettings_flag_value(self, key, flagDefaultValue, section=None):
         # this should not happen
         raise ValueError("could not get the meta enum for given enum default value (type: {})".format(type(flagDefaultValue)))
 
-    str_val = self.value(key, meta_enum.valueToKey(flagDefaultValue))
+    str_val = self.value(key, meta_enum.valueToKey(flagDefaultValue), str, section)
     # need a new meta enum as QgsSettings.value is making a copy and leads to seg fault (proaby a PyQt issue)
     meta_enum_2 = metaEnumFromValue(flagDefaultValue)
     (flag_val, ok) = meta_enum_2.keysToValue(str_val)