diff --git a/lib/system/repr_v2.nim b/lib/system/repr_v2.nim
index 3a40ac5ad7..fd2dd4c695 100644
--- a/lib/system/repr_v2.nim
+++ b/lib/system/repr_v2.nim
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ proc repr*(p: proc | iterator {.closure.}): string =
   ## repr of a proc as its address
   repr(cast[ptr pointer](unsafeAddr p)[])
 
-template repr*[T: distinct|range](x: T): string =
+template repr*[T: distinct|(range and not enum)](x: T): string =
   when T is range: # add a branch to handle range
     repr(rangeBase(typeof(x))(x))
   elif T is distinct:
diff --git a/tests/metatype/tmetatype_various.nim b/tests/metatype/tmetatype_various.nim
index be70f37a7d..68d41c4763 100644
--- a/tests/metatype/tmetatype_various.nim
+++ b/tests/metatype/tmetatype_various.nim
@@ -66,3 +66,8 @@ var x: array[8, CTBool[Ct[uint32]]]
 x[0] = (CTBool[Ct[uint32]])(1)
 echo x.repr, " ", typeof(x[0])
 
+block: # bug #23139
+  type Foo = enum a, b
+
+  var x: range[a..b]
+  doAssert (repr x) == "a"