diff --git a/pkg/configuration/roles/bigchaindb/tasks/start.yml b/pkg/configuration/roles/bigchaindb/tasks/start.yml
index 88584d0a..233bcdc6 100644
--- a/pkg/configuration/roles/bigchaindb/tasks/start.yml
+++ b/pkg/configuration/roles/bigchaindb/tasks/start.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
       BIGCHAINDB_SERVER_BIND: "0.0.0.0:9984"
       BIGCHAINDB_WSSERVER_HOST: "0.0.0.0"
       BIGCHAINDB_TENDERMINT_HOST: "{{ tendermint_docker_name }}{{ item }}"
-      BIGCHAINDB_TENDERMINT_PORT: "{{ bigchaindb_tendermint_port }}"
+      BIGCHAINDB_TENDERMINT_PORT: "{{ bigchaindb_tendermint_port | string }}"
     published_ports:
       - "{{ bigchaindb_default_server_port }}"
       - "{{ bigchaindb_default_ws_port }}"