diff --git a/core/encoding.go b/core/encoding.go
index b15b9196b5..eab401c7a2 100644
--- a/core/encoding.go
+++ b/core/encoding.go
@@ -259,11 +259,6 @@ func DecodeIndexDataStoreKey(
 		if err != nil {
 			return IndexDataStoreKey{}, err
 		}
-		if i == len(indexDesc.Fields) {
-			if _, ok := val.String(); !ok {
-				return IndexDataStoreKey{}, NewErrInvalidFieldValue("docID is not a string")
-			}
-		}
 
 		key.Fields = append(key.Fields, IndexedField{Value: val, Descending: descending})
 	}
diff --git a/core/key_test.go b/core/key_test.go
index 3d4fec5d9f..7791075a17 100644
--- a/core/key_test.go
+++ b/core/key_test.go
@@ -390,11 +390,6 @@ func TestDecodeIndexDataStoreKey_InvalidKey(t *testing.T) {
 			val:       encodeKey(colID, indexID, 5, false, 7, false, 9, false),
 			numFields: 2,
 		},
-		{
-			name:      "invalid docID value",
-			val:       encoding.EncodeUvarintAscending(append(encodeKey(colID, indexID, 5, false), '/'), 5),
-			numFields: 1,
-		},
 	}
 	indexDesc := client.IndexDescription{ID: indexID, Fields: []client.IndexedFieldDescription{{}}}
 	for _, c := range cases {