# PostgreSQL array of enums does not work with @JdbcType(PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType.class) but works with @Enumerated + @ColumnTransformer

**URL:** <https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128>\
**Category:** Hibernate ORM\
**Created:** [January 30, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128 "2026-01-30T10:42:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tibor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.hibernate.org/tibor/32/4268_2.png) [@Tibor](https://discourse.hibernate.org/u/Tibor)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 10:42am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128/1 "2026-01-30T10:42:59Z")

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Hi,

I’m trying to map a PostgreSQL **array of enum values** to a Java `Enum[]` (or `List<Enum>`) using Hibernate.

I have a PostgreSQL enum type:

```auto
CREATE TYPE "SOME"."ITEMS_TYPE" AS ENUM ('A', 'B', 'C');

```

And a column defined as:

```auto
items ITEMS_TYPE[]

```

### What does NOT work

Using `PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType` together with `SqlTypes.ARRAY` does not work:

```auto
@JdbcTypeCode(SqlTypes.ARRAY)
@JdbcType(PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType.class)
private ItemsType[] items;

```

This fails at runtime (binding / type resolution issues).

### What DOES work

The following mapping works correctly:

```auto
@JdbcTypeCode(SqlTypes.ARRAY)
@Enumerated(EnumType.STRING)
@ColumnTransformer(write = "?::\"SOME\".\"ITEMS_TYPE\"[]")
private ItemsType[] items;

```

### Question

Is this a known limitation of `PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType` when used with SQL arrays?

- Is `PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType` intended to be used only for **single enum values** , not arrays?

- Is there a recommended or “official” way in Hibernate to map **PostgreSQL enum arrays** without relying on `@ColumnTransformer`?

- Should a custom `JdbcType` or `UserType` be used instead?

Any guidance or clarification would be appreciated.

**Sandbox to play around:**  
[GitHub - pavlobalandin/hibernateissue](https://github.com/pavlobalandin/hibernateissue)  
see: SomeRepositoryITest and AnotherRepositoryITest

Thanks a lot!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yrodiere](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.hibernate.org/yrodiere/32/1760_2.png) [@yrodiere](https://discourse.hibernate.org/u/yrodiere)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:14am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128/2 "2026-01-30T11:14:00Z")

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Hi. Did you look for reported issues? I don’t know if it’s valid, but this one looks very similar: [Jira](https://hibernate.atlassian.net/browse/HHH-19060)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yrodiere](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.hibernate.org/yrodiere/32/1760_2.png) [@yrodiere](https://discourse.hibernate.org/u/yrodiere)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:15am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128/3 "2026-01-30T11:15:07Z")

</div>

Also you might want to clarify what you mean by “does not work”, i.e. what are the symptoms exactly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tibor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.hibernate.org/tibor/32/4268_2.png) [@Tibor](https://discourse.hibernate.org/u/Tibor)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:18am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128/4 "2026-01-30T11:18:13Z")

</div>

Technically there’s an exception and application is not being able to start at all:

```auto
Caused by: java.lang.ClassCastException: class org.hibernate.type.internal.ParameterizedTypeImpl cannot be cast to class java.lang.Class (org.hibernate.type.internal.ParameterizedTypeImpl is in unnamed module of loader 'app'; java.lang.Class is in module java.base of loader 'bootstrap')
	at org.hibernate.dialect.type.PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType.getJdbcLiteralFormatter(PostgreSQLEnumJdbcType.java:68) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.AbstractStandardBasicType.<init>(AbstractStandardBasicType.java:62) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.AbstractSingleColumnStandardBasicType.<init>(AbstractSingleColumnStandardBasicType.java:25) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.internal.BasicTypeImpl.<init>(BasicTypeImpl.java:27) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry.resolvedType(BasicTypeRegistry.java:167) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry.lambda$resolve$0(BasicTypeRegistry.java:157) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry.createIfUnregistered(BasicTypeRegistry.java:278) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry.resolve(BasicTypeRegistry.java:249) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.type.BasicTypeRegistry.resolve(BasicTypeRegistry.java:157) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.model.process.internal.InferredBasicValueResolver.from(InferredBasicValueResolver.java:135) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.mapping.BasicValue.resolution(BasicValue.java:643) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.mapping.BasicValue.buildResolution(BasicValue.java:447) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.mapping.BasicValue.buildResolution(BasicValue.java:421) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.mapping.BasicValue.resolve(BasicValue.java:338) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.mapping.BasicValue.resolve(BasicValue.java:328) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.internal.InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.lambda$processValueResolvers$0(InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.java:1760) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.removeIf(ArrayList.java:1773) ~[na:na]
	at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.removeIf(ArrayList.java:1751) ~[na:na]
	at org.hibernate.boot.internal.InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.processValueResolvers(InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.java:1760) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.internal.InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.processSecondPasses(InFlightMetadataCollectorImpl.java:1749) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.model.process.spi.MetadataBuildingProcess.coordinateProcessors(MetadataBuildingProcess.java:330) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.boot.model.process.spi.MetadataBuildingProcess.complete(MetadataBuildingProcess.java:199) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.jpa.boot.internal.EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.metadata(EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.java:1392) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.jpa.boot.internal.EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.populateSessionFactoryBuilder(EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.java:1472) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.hibernate.jpa.boot.internal.EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.build(EntityManagerFactoryBuilderImpl.java:1454) ~[hibernate-core-7.2.1.Final.jar:7.2.1.Final]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.vendor.SpringHibernateJpaPersistenceProvider.createContainerEntityManagerFactory(SpringHibernateJpaPersistenceProvider.java:66) ~[spring-orm-7.0.3.jar:7.0.3]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.createNativeEntityManagerFactory(LocalContainerEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:433) ~[spring-orm-7.0.3.jar:7.0.3]
	at org.springframework.orm.jpa.AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.buildNativeEntityManagerFactory(AbstractEntityManagerFactoryBean.java:416) ~[spring-orm-7.0.3.jar:7.0.3]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tibor](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.hibernate.org/tibor/32/4268_2.png) [@Tibor](https://discourse.hibernate.org/u/Tibor)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2026, 11:19am UTC](https://discourse.hibernate.org/t/postgresql-array-of-enums-does-not-work-with-jdbctype-postgresqlenumjdbctype-class-but-works-with-enumerated-columntransformer/12128/5 "2026-01-30T11:19:43Z")

</div>

I use version 7.2 but looks pretty similar to the one you mentioned above.