diff --git a/app/models/ticket/number/increment.rb b/app/models/ticket/number/increment.rb
index 6827ade2f..9f1b97650 100644
--- a/app/models/ticket/number/increment.rb
+++ b/app/models/ticket/number/increment.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ module Ticket::Number::Increment
     if config[:checksum]
       min_digs = min_digs.to_i - 1
     end
-    fillup = Setting.get('system_id') || '1'
+    fillup = Setting.get('system_id').to_s || '1'
     ( 1..100 ).each {
 
       next if ( fillup.length.to_i + counter_increment.to_s.length.to_i ) >= min_digs.to_i