diff --git a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/DefaultCodegen.java b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/DefaultCodegen.java
index 1f4f91a10bd7..42e393b9e19e 100644
--- a/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/DefaultCodegen.java
+++ b/modules/openapi-generator/src/main/java/org/openapitools/codegen/DefaultCodegen.java
@@ -2178,6 +2178,17 @@ public CodegenProperty fromProperty(String name, Schema p) {
             //    property.baseType = getSimpleRef(p.get$ref());
             //}
             // --END of revision
+
+            // set is enum to true when a model is enum and type is non-primitive.
+            if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(p.get$ref()) && globalSchemas != null) {
+                Schema ref = globalSchemas.get(ModelUtils.getSimpleRef(p.get$ref()));
+                if (ref != null) {
+                    if (ref.getEnum() != null) {
+                        property.isEnum = true;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             setNonArrayMapProperty(property, type);
         }