diff --git a/orchestrate.py b/orchestrate.py
index 08d98204cb47d58fae3c70fe81267c1f429a3005..0217379550b8d17dd16f92214cf3b97c8a5df436 100755
--- a/orchestrate.py
+++ b/orchestrate.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ else:
         j = json.load(f)
 
 config = j['config']['value']
-n = config['n']
+n = int(config['n'])
 d = config['domain']
 hosts = j['hosts']['value']
 public_hosts = j['public_hosts']['value']