diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/ArgumentDescriptorBase~1.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/ArgumentDescriptorBase~1.cs
index 7712256736a..ee4b8b40131 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/ArgumentDescriptorBase~1.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/ArgumentDescriptorBase~1.cs
@@ -39,21 +39,15 @@ protected void Deprecated(string? reason)
 
     /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.Deprecated()"/>
     protected void Deprecated()
-    {
-        Configuration.DeprecationReason = DirectiveNames.Deprecated.Arguments.DefaultReason;
-    }
+        => Configuration.DeprecationReason = DirectiveNames.Deprecated.Arguments.DefaultReason;
 
-    /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.Description(string)"/>
-    protected void Description(string value)
-    {
-        Configuration.Description = value;
-    }
+    /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.Description(string?)"/>
+    protected void Description(string? value)
+        => Configuration.Description = value;
 
     /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.Type{TInputType}()"/>
     public void Type<TInputType>() where TInputType : IInputType
-    {
-        Type(typeof(TInputType));
-    }
+        => Type(typeof(TInputType));
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Sets the type of the argument
@@ -71,6 +65,8 @@ public void Type<TInputType>() where TInputType : IInputType
     /// </summary>
     public void Type(Type type)
     {
+        ArgumentNullException.ThrowIfNull(type);
+
         var typeInfo = Context.TypeInspector.CreateTypeInfo(type);
 
         if (typeInfo.IsSchemaType && !typeInfo.IsInputType())
@@ -133,7 +129,7 @@ public void Type(ITypeNode typeNode)
         Configuration.SetMoreSpecificType(typeNode, TypeContext.Input);
     }
 
-    /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.DefaultValue(IValueNode)"/>
+    /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.DefaultValue(IValueNode?)"/>
     public void DefaultValue(IValueNode? value)
     {
         Configuration.DefaultValue = value ?? NullValueNode.Default;
@@ -150,6 +146,11 @@ public void DefaultValue(object? value)
         }
         else
         {
+            if (TryCoerceEnumUnderlyingValue(value, out var enumValue))
+            {
+                value = enumValue;
+            }
+
             var type = Context.TypeInspector.GetType(value.GetType());
             Configuration.SetMoreSpecificType(type, TypeContext.Input);
             Configuration.RuntimeDefaultValue = value;
@@ -168,4 +169,32 @@ public void Directive<TDirective>(TDirective directiveInstance) where TDirective
     /// <inheritdoc cref="IArgumentDescriptor.Directive(string, ArgumentNode[])"/>
     public void Directive(string name, params ArgumentNode[] arguments)
         => Configuration.AddDirective(name, arguments);
+
+    private bool TryCoerceEnumUnderlyingValue(object value, out object enumValue)
+    {
+        enumValue = default!;
+
+        if (Configuration.Type is not ExtendedTypeReference typeReference)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        var clrType = Nullable.GetUnderlyingType(typeReference.Type.Source)
+            ?? typeReference.Type.Source;
+
+        if (!clrType.IsEnum)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        var underlyingType = Enum.GetUnderlyingType(clrType);
+
+        if (value.GetType() != underlyingType)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        enumValue = Enum.ToObject(clrType, value);
+        return true;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/Contracts/IArgumentDescriptor.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/Contracts/IArgumentDescriptor.cs
index 9ecf394194e..e2a7a64a814 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/Contracts/IArgumentDescriptor.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Core/src/Types/Types/Descriptors/Contracts/IArgumentDescriptor.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#nullable disable
-
 using HotChocolate.Language;
 using HotChocolate.Types.Descriptors.Configurations;
 
@@ -26,7 +24,7 @@ public interface IArgumentDescriptor
     /// </code>
     /// </example>
     /// </summary>
-    IArgumentDescriptor Deprecated(string reason);
+    IArgumentDescriptor Deprecated(string? reason);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Marks the argument as deprecated
@@ -65,7 +63,7 @@ public interface IArgumentDescriptor
     /// </example>
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="value">The description</param>
-    IArgumentDescriptor Description(string value);
+    IArgumentDescriptor Description(string? value);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Sets the type of the argument
@@ -149,7 +147,7 @@ IArgumentDescriptor Type<TInputType>(TInputType inputType)
     /// </example>
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="value"></param>
-    IArgumentDescriptor DefaultValue(IValueNode value);
+    IArgumentDescriptor DefaultValue(IValueNode? value);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Sets the default value of this argument
@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@ IArgumentDescriptor Type<TInputType>(TInputType inputType)
     /// </example>
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="value"></param>
-    IArgumentDescriptor DefaultValue(object value);
+    IArgumentDescriptor DefaultValue(object? value);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Sets a directive on the argument
diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/Core/test/Types.Tests/Types/Issue7040ReproTests.cs b/src/HotChocolate/Core/test/Types.Tests/Types/Issue7040ReproTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1fe6d11aab1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/Core/test/Types.Tests/Types/Issue7040ReproTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+namespace HotChocolate.Types;
+
+public class Issue7040ReproTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public void Enum_DefaultValueAttribute_With_Integer_Default_Does_Not_Downgrade_To_Int()
+    {
+        SchemaBuilder.New()
+            .AddInputObjectType<InputWithEnumIntDefault>()
+            .ModifyOptions(o => o.StrictValidation = false)
+            .Create()
+            .MatchSnapshot();
+    }
+
+    public class InputWithEnumIntDefault
+    {
+        // The F# compiler boxes enum values as their underlying type when passed
+        // to attribute constructors that accept object. So [<DefaultValue(MyEnum.Value1)>]
+        // in F# arrives at runtime as [DefaultValue(0)] rather than [DefaultValue(MyEnum.Value1)].
+        // We use the integer literal here to reproduce that behavior in C#.
+        [DefaultValue(0)]
+        public Issue7040Enum Enum { get; set; }
+    }
+
+    public enum Issue7040Enum
+    {
+        Value1 = 0,
+        Value2 = 1
+    }
+}