diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/source/annotations/util/JandexHelper.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/source/annotations/util/JandexHelper.java
index b215a7bbed..e01ba582c7 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/source/annotations/util/JandexHelper.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/metamodel/internal/source/annotations/util/JandexHelper.java
@@ -360,6 +360,12 @@ private static Object getDefaultValue(AnnotationInstance annotation, String elem
 		}
 		try {
 			val = Index.class.getClassLoader().loadClass( name ).getMethod( element ).getDefaultValue();
+			if ( val != null ) {
+				// Annotation parameters of type Class are handled using Strings
+				if ( val instanceof Class ) {
+					val = ( ( Class ) val).getName();
+				}
+			}
 			DEFAULT_VALUES_BY_ELEMENT.put( fqElement, val );
 			return val == null ? null : val;
 		}