diff --git a/config/initializers/mailer_config.rb b/config/initializers/mailer_config.rb
index 823a369fe..13aee7b5a 100644
--- a/config/initializers/mailer_config.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/mailer_config.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Diaspora::Application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {:host => APP_CONFIG[:terse_pod_url]}
   config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
     :address => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_address],
-    :port => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_port],
+    :port => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_port].to_i,
     :domain => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_domain],
     :authentication => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_authentication],
     :user_name => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_username],