diff --git a/src/sentry/preprod/eap/read.py b/src/sentry/preprod/eap/read.py
index c90f118b7e4acb..2bd9cef6337ac1 100644
--- a/src/sentry/preprod/eap/read.py
+++ b/src/sentry/preprod/eap/read.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         ResolvedAttribute(
             public_alias="metrics_artifact_type",
             internal_name="metrics_artifact_type",
-            search_type="integer",
+            search_type="string",
         ),
         ResolvedAttribute(
             public_alias="max_install_size",
diff --git a/src/sentry/preprod/eap/write.py b/src/sentry/preprod/eap/write.py
index 37a149377a6bbe..65fee767b2d5c0 100644
--- a/src/sentry/preprod/eap/write.py
+++ b/src/sentry/preprod/eap/write.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import logging
 import uuid
 from typing import Any
 
@@ -27,6 +28,18 @@
 from sentry.utils.eap import hex_to_item_id
 from sentry.utils.kafka_config import get_topic_definition
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def _metrics_artifact_type_label(value: int | None) -> str | None:
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    try:
+        return PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics.MetricsArtifactType(value).to_choice_label()
+    except (ValueError, KeyError):
+        logger.warning("preprod.eap.unknown_metrics_artifact_type", extra={"value": value})
+        return None
+
 
 def produce_preprod_size_metric_to_eap(
     size_metric: PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics,
@@ -65,7 +78,7 @@ def produce_preprod_size_metric_to_eap(
         "preprod_artifact_id": size_metric.preprod_artifact_id,
         "size_metric_id": size_metric.id,
         "sub_item_type": "size_metric",
-        "metrics_artifact_type": size_metric.metrics_artifact_type,
+        "metrics_artifact_type": _metrics_artifact_type_label(size_metric.metrics_artifact_type),
         "identifier": size_metric.identifier,
         "min_install_size": size_metric.min_install_size,
         "max_install_size": size_metric.max_install_size,
diff --git a/src/sentry/preprod/models.py b/src/sentry/preprod/models.py
index a110f45b4334b4..9f172db9d9dd3a 100644
--- a/src/sentry/preprod/models.py
+++ b/src/sentry/preprod/models.py
@@ -578,6 +578,14 @@ def as_choices(cls) -> tuple[tuple[int, str], ...]:
                 (cls.APP_CLIP_ARTIFACT, "app_clip_artifact"),
             )
 
+        def to_choice_label(self) -> str:
+            """Return the human-readable choice label for this enum value.
+
+            Used by the EAP write path to store artifact type as a string attribute.
+            """
+            choices = dict(self.as_choices())
+            return choices[self.value]
+
     class SizeAnalysisState(IntEnum):
         PENDING = 0
         """Size analysis has not started yet."""
diff --git a/src/sentry/search/eap/preprod_size/attributes.py b/src/sentry/search/eap/preprod_size/attributes.py
index 2e7085c2555e96..6dc23a05ef85e5 100644
--- a/src/sentry/search/eap/preprod_size/attributes.py
+++ b/src/sentry/search/eap/preprod_size/attributes.py
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
     for column in COMMON_COLUMNS
     + [
         ResolvedAttribute(
-            public_alias="metrics_artifact_type",
+            public_alias="artifact_type",
             internal_name="metrics_artifact_type",
-            search_type="integer",
+            search_type="string",
         ),
         ResolvedAttribute(
             public_alias="install_size",
diff --git a/tests/sentry/preprod/eap/test_write.py b/tests/sentry/preprod/eap/test_write.py
index 78021a86763d37..de4c75db3dbcea 100644
--- a/tests/sentry/preprod/eap/test_write.py
+++ b/tests/sentry/preprod/eap/test_write.py
@@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ def test_write_preprod_size_metric_encodes_all_fields_correctly(self, mock_produ
         assert attrs["preprod_artifact_id"].int_value == artifact.id
         assert attrs["size_metric_id"].int_value == size_metric.id
         assert (
-            attrs["metrics_artifact_type"].int_value
-            == PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics.MetricsArtifactType.MAIN_ARTIFACT
+            attrs["metrics_artifact_type"].string_value
+            == PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics.MetricsArtifactType.MAIN_ARTIFACT.to_choice_label()
         )
         assert attrs["identifier"].string_value == "com.example.feature"
         assert attrs["min_install_size"].int_value == 1000
diff --git a/tests/snuba/preprod/eap/test_preprod_eap_integration.py b/tests/snuba/preprod/eap/test_preprod_eap_integration.py
index e671188d866b47..9854acb52939c4 100644
--- a/tests/snuba/preprod/eap/test_preprod_eap_integration.py
+++ b/tests/snuba/preprod/eap/test_preprod_eap_integration.py
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ def test_write_and_read_size_metric_round_trip(self):
             response.column_values[columns["size_metric_id"]].results[0].val_int == size_metric.id
         )
         assert (
-            response.column_values[columns["metrics_artifact_type"]].results[0].val_int
-            == PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics.MetricsArtifactType.MAIN_ARTIFACT
+            response.column_values[columns["metrics_artifact_type"]].results[0].val_str
+            == PreprodArtifactSizeMetrics.MetricsArtifactType.MAIN_ARTIFACT.to_choice_label()
         )
         assert response.column_values[columns["max_install_size"]].results[0].val_int == 5000
         assert response.column_values[columns["max_download_size"]].results[0].val_int == 3000