diff --git a/Orange/data/variable.py b/Orange/data/variable.py
index f7b322501de..f00e92a9bdb 100644
--- a/Orange/data/variable.py
+++ b/Orange/data/variable.py
@@ -160,6 +160,8 @@ def __new__(cls, variable, value=Unknown):
         :param value: value
         """
         if variable.is_primitive():
+            if isinstance(variable, DiscreteVariable) and isinstance(value, str):
+                value = variable.to_val(value)
             self = super().__new__(cls, value)
             self.variable = variable
             self._value = None
diff --git a/Orange/tests/sql/test_sql_table.py b/Orange/tests/sql/test_sql_table.py
index 748f7f13beb..4bcb4696905 100644
--- a/Orange/tests/sql/test_sql_table.py
+++ b/Orange/tests/sql/test_sql_table.py
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ def test_query_subset_of_rows(self):
     def test_getitem_single_value(self):
         table = SqlTable(self.conn, self.iris, inspect_values=True)
         self.assertAlmostEqual(table[0, 0], 5.1)
+        self.assertAlmostEqual(table[0, table.domain[0]], 5.1)
+        self.assertEqual(table[0, 4], "Iris-setosa")
+        self.assertEqual(table[0, table.domain[4]], "Iris-setosa")
 
     @dbt.run_on(["postgres", "mssql"])
     def test_type_hints(self):