diff --git a/src/ORM/DataObject.php b/src/ORM/DataObject.php
index 0d0910aeb05..9886c10dd6e 100644
--- a/src/ORM/DataObject.php
+++ b/src/ORM/DataObject.php
@@ -3150,7 +3150,10 @@ public function dbObject($fieldName)
             return $value;
         }
 
-        list($class, $spec) = explode('.', $helper);
+        $pos = strpos($helper, '.');
+        $class = substr($helper, 0, $pos);
+        $spec = substr($helper, $pos + 1);
+
         /** @var DBField $obj */
         $table = $schema->tableName($class);
         $obj = Injector::inst()->create($spec, $fieldName);
diff --git a/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest.php b/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest.php
index 92c7b142f63..8ad2cc166e5 100644
--- a/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest.php
+++ b/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest.php
@@ -2622,4 +2622,15 @@ public function testDataObjectCreationHydrateWithoutID()
             'Salary' => 50,
         ], DataObject::CREATE_HYDRATED);
     }
+
+    public function testDBObjectEnum()
+    {
+        $obj = new DataObjectTest\Fixture();
+        // enums are parsed correctly
+        $vals = ['25', '50', '75', '100'];
+        $this->assertSame(array_combine($vals, $vals), $obj->dbObject('MyEnum')->enumValues());
+        // enum with dots in their values are also parsed correctly
+        $vals = ['25.25', '50.00', '75.00', '100.50'];
+        $this->assertSame(array_combine($vals, $vals), $obj->dbObject('MyEnumWithDots')->enumValues());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest/Fixture.php b/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest/Fixture.php
index 96fc7e6649f..0ad04794b51 100644
--- a/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest/Fixture.php
+++ b/tests/php/ORM/DataObjectTest/Fixture.php
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ class Fixture extends DataObject implements TestOnly
         'MyInt' => 'Int',
         'MyCurrency' => 'Currency',
         'MyDecimal'=> 'Decimal',
+
+        // Enums
+        'MyEnum' => 'Enum("25,50,75,100", "50")',
+        'MyEnumWithDots' => 'Enum("25.25,50.00,75.00,100.50", "50.00")',
     ];
 
     private static $defaults = [