diff --git a/vmware_nsx/plugins/nsx_v/md_proxy.py b/vmware_nsx/plugins/nsx_v/md_proxy.py
index b39d67cf17..64b609ac72 100644
--- a/vmware_nsx/plugins/nsx_v/md_proxy.py
+++ b/vmware_nsx/plugins/nsx_v/md_proxy.py
@@ -68,7 +68,9 @@ def get_router_fw_rules():
     str_ports = [str(p) for p in int_ports]
     # the list of ports can be extended by configuration
     if cfg.CONF.nsxv.metadata_service_allowed_ports:
-        str_ports = str_ports + cfg.CONF.nsxv.metadata_service_allowed_ports
+        str_metadata_ports = [str(p) for p in
+                              cfg.CONF.nsxv.metadata_service_allowed_ports]
+        str_ports = str_ports + str_metadata_ports
     separator = ','
     dest_ports = separator.join(str_ports)
 
diff --git a/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/nsx_v/test_plugin.py b/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/nsx_v/test_plugin.py
index e1b587268e..5e4fc71eb5 100644
--- a/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/nsx_v/test_plugin.py
+++ b/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/nsx_v/test_plugin.py
@@ -3135,7 +3135,7 @@ class TestExclusiveRouterTestCase(L3NatTest, L3NatTestCaseBase,
         """
         cfg.CONF.set_override('dhcp_force_metadata', True, group='nsxv')
         cfg.CONF.set_override('metadata_service_allowed_ports',
-            ['55', ' 66 ', '55', 'xx'], group='nsxv')
+            ['55', ' 66 ', '55', '77'], group='nsxv')
         self.plugin_instance.metadata_proxy_handler = mock.Mock()
         s1_cidr = '10.0.0.0/24'
         with self.router() as r,\
@@ -3150,7 +3150,7 @@ class TestExclusiveRouterTestCase(L3NatTest, L3NatTestCaseBase,
             rule_name = 'MDServiceIP'
             md_srvip = {'action': 'allow',
                         'destination_ip_address': dest_srvip,
-                        'destination_port': '80,443,8775,55, 66 ,55,xx',
+                        'destination_port': '80,443,8775,55,66,55,77',
                         'enabled': True,
                         'name': rule_name,
                         'protocol': 'tcp'}
@@ -3169,7 +3169,7 @@ class TestExclusiveRouterTestCase(L3NatTest, L3NatTestCaseBase,
             # Ports should be sorted & unique, and ignore non numeric values
             drv = edge_firewall_driver.EdgeFirewallDriver()
             rule = drv._convert_firewall_rule(md_srvip)
-            exp_service = {'service': [{'port': [55, 66, 80, 443, 8775],
+            exp_service = {'service': [{'port': [55, 66, 77, 80, 443, 8775],
                                         'protocol': 'tcp'}]}
             exp_rule = {'action': 'accept',
                         'application': exp_service,