diff --git a/generators/python/sdk/CHANGELOG.md b/generators/python/sdk/CHANGELOG.md
index 3ce73c801a8..a3c6fc1e1a4 100644
--- a/generators/python/sdk/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/generators/python/sdk/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,22 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [0.12.4] - 2024-03-19
+
+- Improvement: Allow full forward compat with enums while keeping intellisense by unioning enum literals with `typing.AnyStr`.
+
+  Before:
+
+  ```python
+  Operand = typing.Union[typing.AnyStr, typing.Literal[">", "=", "less_than"]]
+  ```
+
+  After:
+
+  ```python
+  Operand = typing.Literal[">", "=", "less_than"]
+  ```
+
 ## [0.12.3] - 2024-03-18
 
 - Improvement: Allow bytes requests to take in iterators of bytes, mirroring the types allowed by HTTPX.
diff --git a/generators/python/sdk/VERSION b/generators/python/sdk/VERSION
index aa22d3ce39b..e01e0ddd8e8 100644
--- a/generators/python/sdk/VERSION
+++ b/generators/python/sdk/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-0.12.3
+0.12.4
diff --git a/generators/python/src/fern_python/codegen/ast/nodes/type_hint/type_hint.py b/generators/python/src/fern_python/codegen/ast/nodes/type_hint/type_hint.py
index 14ab56c3c1e..f939d8338ab 100644
--- a/generators/python/src/fern_python/codegen/ast/nodes/type_hint/type_hint.py
+++ b/generators/python/src/fern_python/codegen/ast/nodes/type_hint/type_hint.py
@@ -75,6 +75,10 @@ def not_required(wrapped_type: TypeHint) -> TypeHint:
             type_parameters=[TypeParameter(wrapped_type)],
         )
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def any_str() -> TypeHint:
+        return TypeHint(type=get_reference_to_typing_import("AnyStr"))
+
     @staticmethod
     def optional(wrapped_type: TypeHint) -> TypeHint:
         return TypeHint(
diff --git a/generators/python/src/fern_python/generators/pydantic_model/type_declaration_handler/enum_generator.py b/generators/python/src/fern_python/generators/pydantic_model/type_declaration_handler/enum_generator.py
index af98b7c5405..3d7141f2018 100644
--- a/generators/python/src/fern_python/generators/pydantic_model/type_declaration_handler/enum_generator.py
+++ b/generators/python/src/fern_python/generators/pydantic_model/type_declaration_handler/enum_generator.py
@@ -33,8 +33,11 @@ def generate(self) -> None:
         if self._use_str_enums:
             self._source_file.add_declaration(
                 AST.TypeAliasDeclaration(
-                    type_hint=AST.TypeHint.literal(
-                        AST.Expression(", ".join(map(lambda v: f'"{v.name.wire_value}"', self._enum.values)))
+                    type_hint=AST.TypeHint.union(
+                        AST.TypeHint.any_str(),
+                        AST.TypeHint.literal(
+                            AST.Expression(", ".join(map(lambda v: f'"{v.name.wire_value}"', self._enum.values)))
+                        ),
                     ),
                     name=self._name.name.pascal_case.safe_name,
                 ),
diff --git a/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/color.py b/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/color.py
index 9186d24e048..672574fb1b6 100644
--- a/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/color.py
+++ b/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/color.py
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
 import typing
 
-Color = typing.Literal["red", "blue"]
+Color = typing.Union[typing.AnyStr, typing.Literal["red", "blue"]]
diff --git a/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/operand.py b/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/operand.py
index 46fb5ed3485..df5b5b60de1 100644
--- a/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/operand.py
+++ b/seed/python-sdk/enum/strenum/src/seed/types/operand.py
@@ -2,4 +2,4 @@
 
 import typing
 
-Operand = typing.Literal[">", "=", "less_than"]
+Operand = typing.Union[typing.AnyStr, typing.Literal[">", "=", "less_than"]]