diff --git a/pywidevine/cdm.py b/pywidevine/cdm.py
index ba6cdf4..839903a 100644
--- a/pywidevine/cdm.py
+++ b/pywidevine/cdm.py
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ class Cdm:
             self.service_certificate = drm_certificate
             return self.service_certificate.provider_id
 
-    def get_license_challenge(self, type_: LicenseType = LicenseType.STREAMING, privacy_mode: bool = True) -> bytes:
+    def get_license_challenge(self, type_: Union[int, str] = LicenseType.STREAMING, privacy_mode: bool = True) -> bytes:
         """
         Get a License Challenge to send to a License Server.
 
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ class Cdm:
         """
         request_id = get_random_bytes(16)
 
+        if isinstance(type_, str):
+            type_ = LicenseType.Value(type_)
+
         license_request = LicenseRequest()
         license_request.type = LicenseRequest.RequestType.Value("NEW")
         license_request.request_time = int(time.time())