diff --git a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_config/test_overcloud_config.py b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_config/test_overcloud_config.py
index 96603d5ca..a5caae632 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_config/test_overcloud_config.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/tests/v1/overcloud_config/test_overcloud_config.py
@@ -145,18 +145,18 @@ class TestOvercloudConfig(utils.TestCommand):
                                           'service': 'name=fake '
                                           'state=stopped',
                                           'tags': 'step1',
-                                          'when': 'step == 1'}],
+                                          'when': 'step|int == 1'}],
                       'FakeCompute': [{'name': 'Stop fake service',
                                        'service': 'name=fake state=stopped',
                                        'tags': 'step1',
-                                       'when': 'step == 1'},
+                                       'when': 'step|int == 1'},
                                       {'name': 'Stop nova-'
                                        'compute service',
                                        'service':
                                        'name=openstack-nova-'
                                        'compute state=stopped',
                                        'tags': 'step1',
-                                       'when': 'step == 1'}]
+                                       'when': 'step|int == 1'}]
                       }
         mock_get_role_data.return_value = fake_role
 
diff --git a/tripleoclient/v1/overcloud_config.py b/tripleoclient/v1/overcloud_config.py
index a498131b6..1665ed694 100644
--- a/tripleoclient/v1/overcloud_config.py
+++ b/tripleoclient/v1/overcloud_config.py
@@ -65,9 +65,10 @@ class DownloadConfig(command.Command):
                     when_exists = re.search('step == [0-9]', whenline)
                     if when_exists:  # skip if there is an existing 'step == N'
                         continue
-                    task['when'] = "(%s) and (step == %s)" % (whenline, step)
+                    task['when'] = "(%s) and (step|int == %s)" % (whenline,
+                                                                  step)
                 else:
-                    task.update({"when": "step == %s" % step})
+                    task.update({"when": "step|int == %s" % step})
 
     def _write_playbook_get_tasks(self, tasks, role, filepath):
         playbook = []