diff --git a/fabui/ext/py/fabtotum/fabui/bootstrap.py b/fabui/ext/py/fabtotum/fabui/bootstrap.py
index 5c7b472f..9fadd8f3 100644
--- a/fabui/ext/py/fabtotum/fabui/bootstrap.py
+++ b/fabui/ext/py/fabtotum/fabui/bootstrap.py
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ def hardwareBootstrap(gcs, config = None, logger = None):
         hardwareID = eeprom['batch_number']
     except Exception as e:
         log.error("cannot read batch number")
-        hardwareID = config.get('settings', 'hardware.id', 1)
+        hardwareID = str(config.get('settings', 'hardware.id', 1))
         log.error("batch number set to {0}".format(hardwareID))