diff --git a/uprotocol/cloudevent/factory/ucloudevent.py b/uprotocol/cloudevent/factory/ucloudevent.py
index 168c9ee..8d2a465 100644
--- a/uprotocol/cloudevent/factory/ucloudevent.py
+++ b/uprotocol/cloudevent/factory/ucloudevent.py
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ def to_message(event: CloudEvent) -> UMessage:
             priority = "UPRIORITY_" + priority
 
         if priority is not None:
-            attributes.priority = priority
+            attributes.priority = UPriority.Value(priority)
 
         sink = UCloudEvent.get_sink(event)
         if sink is not None: