diff --git a/libsrc/core/archive.hpp b/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
index 0ff17768..c1182b40 100644
--- a/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/core/archive.hpp
@@ -209,6 +209,19 @@ namespace ngcore
       return (*this);
     }
 
+    // archive implementation for enums
+    template<typename T>
+    auto operator & (T& val) -> typename std::enable_if<std::is_enum<T>::value, Archive&>::type
+    {
+      int enumval;
+      if(Output())
+        enumval = int(val);
+      *this & enumval;
+      if(Input())
+        val = T(enumval);
+      return *this;
+    }
+
     // vector<bool> has special implementation (like a bitarray) therefore
     // it needs a special overload (this could probably be more efficient, but we
     // don't use it that often anyway)
diff --git a/tests/catch/archive.cpp b/tests/catch/archive.cpp
index 60cd33f0..96c2087c 100644
--- a/tests/catch/archive.cpp
+++ b/tests/catch/archive.cpp
@@ -248,6 +248,22 @@ void testMap(Archive& in, Archive& out)
   CHECK(map2["netgen"] == "v6.2.1901");
 }
 
+enum MyEnum
+  {
+   CASE1,
+   CASE2
+  };
+
+void testEnum(Archive& in, Archive& out)
+  {
+   MyEnum en = CASE2;
+   out & en;
+   out.FlushBuffer();
+   MyEnum enin;
+   in & enin;
+   CHECK(enin == CASE2);
+  }
+
 void testArchive(Archive& in, Archive& out)
 {
   SECTION("Empty String")
@@ -301,6 +317,10 @@ void testArchive(Archive& in, Archive& out)
     {
       testMap(in, out);
     }
+  SECTION("enum")
+    {
+      testEnum(in, out);
+    }
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("BinaryArchive")