diff --git a/server/ladder_service.py b/server/ladder_service.py
index a89714e3b..a56a6f680 100644
--- a/server/ladder_service.py
+++ b/server/ladder_service.py
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ def get_player_mean(player):
             def game_options(player: Player) -> GameLaunchOptions:
                 return options._replace(
                     team=game.get_player_option(player.id, "Team"),
-                    faction=player.faction,
+                    faction=player.faction.name,
                     map_position=game.get_player_option(player.id, "StartSpot")
                 )
 
diff --git a/server/types.py b/server/types.py
index 75136505f..5106d6f03 100644
--- a/server/types.py
+++ b/server/types.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class GameLaunchOptions(NamedTuple):
 
     mapname: Optional[str] = None
     team: Optional[int] = None
-    faction: Optional[int] = None
+    faction: Optional[str] = None
     expected_players: Optional[int] = None
     map_position: Optional[int] = None
 
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/test_matchmaker.py b/tests/integration_tests/test_matchmaker.py
index ffddc2edc..0b9a8c4ac 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/test_matchmaker.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/test_matchmaker.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ async def test_game_launch_message(lobby_server):
     assert msg1["mapname"] == msg2["mapname"]
     assert msg1["team"] == 2
     assert msg2["team"] == 3
-    assert msg1["faction"] == msg2["faction"] == 1  # faction 1 is uef
+    assert msg1["faction"] == msg2["faction"] == "uef"
     assert msg1["expected_players"] == msg2["expected_players"] == 2
     assert msg1["map_position"] == 1
     assert msg2["map_position"] == 2
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/test_teammatchmaker.py b/tests/integration_tests/test_teammatchmaker.py
index 62f297081..e960e8f4d 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/test_teammatchmaker.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/test_teammatchmaker.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     leaderboard_rating,
     leaderboard_rating_journal
 )
+from server.factions import Faction
 from tests.utils import fast_forward
 
 from .conftest import connect_and_sign_in, read_until, read_until_command
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ async def test_game_matchmaking(lobby_server):
         assert msg["expected_players"] == 4
         assert msg["team"] in (2, 3)
         assert msg["map_position"] in (1, 2, 3, 4)
-        assert msg["faction"] == 1
+        assert msg["faction"] == "uef"
 
 
 @fast_forward(15)
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ async def test_game_matchmaking_multiqueue(lobby_server):
         assert msg["expected_players"] == 4
         assert msg["team"] in (2, 3)
         assert msg["map_position"] in (1, 2, 3, 4)
-        assert msg["faction"] == 2
+        assert msg["faction"] == "aeon"
 
 
 @fast_forward(10)
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ async def test_game_matchmaking_with_parties(lobby_server):
         assert msg["expected_players"] == 4
         assert msg["team"] in (2, 3)
         assert msg["map_position"] in (1, 2, 3, 4)
-        assert msg["faction"] == i + 1
+        assert msg["faction"] == "uef" if i == 0 else "aeon" if i == 1 else "cybran" if i == 2 else "seraphim"
 
 
 @fast_forward(30)
@@ -470,7 +471,7 @@ async def test_game_ratings(lobby_server):
                 proto,
                 [player_id, "Army", slot],
                 [player_id, "Color", slot],
-                [player_id, "Faction", msg["faction"]],
+                [player_id, "Faction", Faction.from_string(msg["faction"])],
                 [player_id, "StartSpot", slot],
                 [player_id, "Team", msg["team"]],
             )