diff --git a/plugins/nutcracker/nutcracker_requests_ b/plugins/nutcracker/nutcracker_requests_
index affba97c..2ed5a774 100755
--- a/plugins/nutcracker/nutcracker_requests_
+++ b/plugins/nutcracker/nutcracker_requests_
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def get_stats():
     data = '';
 
     HOST = os.environ.get('NUTCRACKER_STATS_HOST', '127.0.0.1');
-    PORT = os.environ.get('NUTCRACKER_STATS_PORT', 22222)
+    PORT = int(os.environ.get('NUTCRACKER_STATS_PORT', 22222))
 
     s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
     s.connect((HOST, PORT))