diff --git a/convert.go b/convert.go
index b27f698..31795d7 100644
--- a/convert.go
+++ b/convert.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package flags
 
 import (
+	"encoding"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"strconv"
@@ -52,11 +53,15 @@ func getBase(options multiTag, base int) (int, error) {
 }
 
 func convertMarshal(val reflect.Value) (bool, string, error) {
-	// Check first for the Marshaler interface
+	// Check for a MarshalFlag or MarshalText interface:
 	if val.IsValid() && val.Type().NumMethod() > 0 && val.CanInterface() {
-		if marshaler, ok := val.Interface().(Marshaler); ok {
+		switch marshaler := val.Interface().(type) {
+		case Marshaler:
 			ret, err := marshaler.MarshalFlag()
 			return true, ret, err
+		case encoding.TextMarshaler:
+			ret, err := marshaler.MarshalText()
+			return true, string(ret), err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -166,15 +171,22 @@ func convertToString(val reflect.Value, options multiTag) (string, error) {
 
 func convertUnmarshal(val string, retval reflect.Value) (bool, error) {
 	if retval.Type().NumMethod() > 0 && retval.CanInterface() {
-		if unmarshaler, ok := retval.Interface().(Unmarshaler); ok {
+		iFace := retval.Interface()
+		switch unmarshaler := iFace.(type) {
+		case Unmarshaler:
 			if retval.IsNil() {
 				retval.Set(reflect.New(retval.Type().Elem()))
-
 				// Re-assign from the new value
 				unmarshaler = retval.Interface().(Unmarshaler)
 			}
-
 			return true, unmarshaler.UnmarshalFlag(val)
+		case encoding.TextUnmarshaler:
+			if retval.IsNil() {
+				retval.Set(reflect.New(retval.Type().Elem()))
+				// Re-assign from the new value
+				unmarshaler = retval.Interface().(encoding.TextUnmarshaler)
+			}
+			return true, unmarshaler.UnmarshalText([]byte(val))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/convert_test.go b/convert_test.go
index 21982ae..fda6e87 100644
--- a/convert_test.go
+++ b/convert_test.go
@@ -176,3 +176,68 @@ func TestConvertToMapWithDelimiter(t *testing.T) {
 
 	assertString(t, opts.StringStringMap["key"], "value")
 }
+
+type testEnum int
+
+const (
+	one testEnum = iota
+	two
+	three
+)
+
+func (t *testEnum) UnmarshalText(text []byte) error {
+	switch string(text) {
+	case "one":
+		*t = one
+	case "two":
+		*t = two
+	case "three":
+		*t = three
+	default:
+		return newErrorf(ErrMarshal, "invalid value %q", text)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (t testEnum) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) {
+	switch t {
+	case one:
+		return []byte("one"), nil
+	case two:
+		return []byte("two"), nil
+	case three:
+		return []byte("three"), nil
+	default:
+		return nil, newErrorf(ErrMarshal, "invalid value %q", t)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestConvertUsesUnmarshalText(t *testing.T) {
+	var opt = struct {
+		Enum testEnum `long:"enum" required:"true"`
+	}{0}
+
+	p := NewNamedParser("test", Default)
+	_, err := p.AddCommand("mycmd", "test", "test", &opt)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error not expected %+v", err)
+	}
+	_, err = p.ParseArgs([]string{"mycmd", "--enum=three"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error not expected %+v", err)
+	}
+	if opt.Enum != three {
+		t.Fatalf("expected three, got %v", opt.Enum)
+	}
+
+	grp, _ := p.AddGroup("test group", "", &opt)
+	o := grp.Options()[0]
+
+	marshalled, err := convertToString(o.value, o.tag)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error not expected %+v", err)
+	}
+	if marshalled != "three" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected three, got %v", marshalled)
+	}
+}