diff --git a/object/Item.php b/object/Item.php
index 04d52a896e..2c9d655981 100644
--- a/object/Item.php
+++ b/object/Item.php
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ class Item extends BaseObject {
 		}
 		
         if ($this->is_toplevel()) {
-            $result['total_comments_num'] = $total_children;
+            $result['total_comments_num'] = "$total_children";
             $result['total_comments_text'] = tt('comment', 'comments', $total_children);
         }