diff --git a/llama_stack/apis/tools/rag_tool.py b/llama_stack/apis/tools/rag_tool.py
index cfaa49488..1d5e7b6cb 100644
--- a/llama_stack/apis/tools/rag_tool.py
+++ b/llama_stack/apis/tools/rag_tool.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # This source code is licensed under the terms described in the LICENSE file in
 # the root directory of this source tree.
 
-from enum import Enum
+from enum import Enum, StrEnum
 from typing import Annotated, Any, Literal, Protocol
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, field_validator
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class RAGQueryGenerator(Enum):
 
 
 @json_schema_type
-class RAGSearchMode(Enum):
+class RAGSearchMode(StrEnum):
     """
     Search modes for RAG query retrieval:
     - VECTOR: Uses vector similarity search for semantic matching
diff --git a/tests/unit/rag/test_rag_query.py b/tests/unit/rag/test_rag_query.py
index a9149541a..05ccecb99 100644
--- a/tests/unit/rag/test_rag_query.py
+++ b/tests/unit/rag/test_rag_query.py
@@ -65,7 +65,15 @@ class TestRagQuery:
             RAGQueryConfig(mode="invalid_mode")
 
     async def test_query_accepts_valid_modes(self):
-        RAGQueryConfig()  # Test default (vector)
-        RAGQueryConfig(mode="vector")  # Test vector
-        RAGQueryConfig(mode="keyword")  # Test keyword
-        RAGQueryConfig(mode="hybrid")  # Test hybrid
+        default_config = RAGQueryConfig()  # Test default (vector)
+        assert default_config.mode == "vector"
+        vector_config = RAGQueryConfig(mode="vector")  # Test vector
+        assert vector_config.mode == "vector"
+        keyword_config = RAGQueryConfig(mode="keyword")  # Test keyword
+        assert keyword_config.mode == "keyword"
+        hybrid_config = RAGQueryConfig(mode="hybrid")  # Test hybrid
+        assert hybrid_config.mode == "hybrid"
+
+        # Test that invalid mode raises an error
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            RAGQueryConfig(mode="wrong_mode")