diff --git a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/HasSettings.java b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/HasSettings.java
index 3195bcf58..4a8bdfbff 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/HasSettings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/HasSettings.java
@@ -37,6 +37,18 @@ public interface HasSettings extends ExecutesMethod {
      * @param value   value of the setting.
      */
     default void setSetting(Setting setting, Object value) {
+        CommandExecutionHelper.execute(this, setSettingsCommand(setting.toString(), value));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set a setting for this test session It's probably better to use a
+     * convenience function, rather than use this function directly. Try finding
+     * the method for the specific setting you want to change.
+     *
+     * @param setting Setting you wish to set.
+     * @param value   value of the setting.
+     */
+    default void setSetting(String setting, Object value) {
         CommandExecutionHelper.execute(this, setSettingsCommand(setting, value));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
index aaf855468..ab0d3d756 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
@@ -469,9 +469,9 @@ public static ImmutableMap<String, Object> prepareArguments(String[] params,
         return new AbstractMap.SimpleEntry<>(GET_SETTINGS, ImmutableMap.of());
     }
 
-    public static Map.Entry<String, Map<String, ?>> setSettingsCommand(Setting setting, Object value) {
+    public static Map.Entry<String, Map<String, ?>> setSettingsCommand(String setting, Object value) {
         return new AbstractMap.SimpleEntry<>(SET_SETTINGS, prepareArguments("settings",
-                prepareArguments(setting.toString(), value)));
+                prepareArguments(setting, value)));
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/android/SettingTest.java b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/android/SettingTest.java
index 0cd0ac6f5..559c1ba69 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/android/SettingTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/android/SettingTest.java
@@ -92,6 +92,17 @@ public class SettingTest extends BaseAndroidTest {
             .get(Setting.TRACK_SCROLL_EVENTS.toString()));
     }
 
+    @Test public void testSettingByString() {
+        assertEquals(true, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+        driver.setSetting("shouldUseCompactResponses", false);
+        assertEquals(false, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+        driver.setSetting("shouldUseCompactResponses", true);
+        assertEquals(true, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+    }
+
     private void assertJSONElementContains(Setting setting, long value) {
         assertEquals(driver.getSettings().get(setting.toString()), value);
     }
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/ios/SettingTest.java b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/ios/SettingTest.java
index b6d576585..d48d2c64d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/ios/SettingTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/ios/SettingTest.java
@@ -83,5 +83,16 @@ public class SettingTest extends AppIOSTest {
             .get(Setting.KEYBOARD_PREDICTION.toString()));
     }
 
+    @Test public void testSettingByString() {
+        assertEquals(true, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+        driver.setSetting("shouldUseCompactResponses", false);
+        assertEquals(false, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+        driver.setSetting("shouldUseCompactResponses", true);
+        assertEquals(true, driver.getSettings()
+                .get("shouldUseCompactResponses"));
+    }
+
 
 }