diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py b/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
index 968af8bc9eb..8ef98736f9a 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/repo_config.py
@@ -83,10 +83,15 @@ def __init__(self, **data: Any):
             self.online_store = get_online_config_from_type(self.online_store["type"])(
                 **self.online_store
             )
+        elif isinstance(self.online_store, str):
+            self.online_store = get_online_config_from_type(self.online_store)()
+
         if isinstance(self.offline_store, Dict):
             self.offline_store = get_offline_config_from_type(
                 self.offline_store["type"]
             )(**self.offline_store)
+        elif isinstance(self.offline_store, str):
+            self.offline_store = get_offline_config_from_type(self.offline_store)()
 
     def get_registry_config(self):
         if isinstance(self.registry, str):
diff --git a/sdk/python/tests/test_repo_config.py b/sdk/python/tests/test_repo_config.py
index b6a6a330119..f4e15d497f9 100644
--- a/sdk/python/tests/test_repo_config.py
+++ b/sdk/python/tests/test_repo_config.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import Optional
 
+from feast.infra.online_stores.sqlite import SqliteOnlineStoreConfig
 from feast.repo_config import FeastConfigError, load_repo_config
 
 
@@ -18,8 +19,9 @@ def _test_config(config_text, expect_error: Optional[str]):
 
         repo_config.write_text(config_text)
         error = None
+        rc = None
         try:
-            load_repo_config(repo_path)
+            rc = load_repo_config(repo_path)
         except FeastConfigError as e:
             error = e
 
@@ -29,6 +31,8 @@ def _test_config(config_text, expect_error: Optional[str]):
             print(f"error: {error}")
             assert error is None
 
+        return rc
+
 
 def test_local_config():
     _test_config(
@@ -44,7 +48,7 @@ def test_local_config():
 
 
 def test_local_config_with_full_online_class():
-    _test_config(
+    c = _test_config(
         dedent(
             """
         project: foo
@@ -56,6 +60,22 @@ def test_local_config_with_full_online_class():
         ),
         expect_error=None,
     )
+    assert isinstance(c.online_store, SqliteOnlineStoreConfig)
+
+
+def test_local_config_with_full_online_class_directly():
+    c = _test_config(
+        dedent(
+            """
+        project: foo
+        registry: "registry.db"
+        provider: local
+        online_store: feast.infra.online_stores.sqlite.SqliteOnlineStore
+        """
+        ),
+        expect_error=None,
+    )
+    assert isinstance(c.online_store, SqliteOnlineStoreConfig)
 
 
 def test_gcp_config():