diff --git a/tests/unit/test_connection.py b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
index 054ee5f040..4a405fd7a1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_connection.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_connection.py
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ class TestSQLConnection(ZuulDBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('check', buildset0['pipeline'])
         self.assertEqual('org/project', buildset0['project'])
         self.assertEqual(1, buildset0['change'])
-        self.assertEqual(1, buildset0['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('1', buildset0['patchset'])
         self.assertEqual('SUCCESS', buildset0['result'])
         self.assertEqual('Build succeeded.', buildset0['message'])
         self.assertEqual('tenant-one', buildset0['tenant'])
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class TestSQLConnection(ZuulDBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('check', buildset1['pipeline'])
         self.assertEqual('org/project', buildset1['project'])
         self.assertEqual(2, buildset1['change'])
-        self.assertEqual(1, buildset1['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('1', buildset1['patchset'])
         self.assertEqual('FAILURE', buildset1['result'])
         self.assertEqual('Build failed.', buildset1['message'])
 
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ class TestSQLConnection(ZuulDBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual('check', buildsets_resultsdb[0]['pipeline'])
         self.assertEqual('org/project', buildsets_resultsdb[0]['project'])
         self.assertEqual(1, buildsets_resultsdb[0]['change'])
-        self.assertEqual(1, buildsets_resultsdb[0]['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('1', buildsets_resultsdb[0]['patchset'])
         self.assertEqual('SUCCESS', buildsets_resultsdb[0]['result'])
         self.assertEqual('Build succeeded.', buildsets_resultsdb[0]['message'])
 
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ class TestSQLConnection(ZuulDBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             'org/project', buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['project'])
         self.assertEqual(2, buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['change'])
-        self.assertEqual(1, buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('1', buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['patchset'])
         self.assertEqual('FAILURE', buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['result'])
         self.assertEqual(
             'Build failed.', buildsets_resultsdb_failures[0]['message'])
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/19d3a3ebfe1d_change_patchset_to_string.py b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/19d3a3ebfe1d_change_patchset_to_string.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..505a1ed738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/alembic/versions/19d3a3ebfe1d_change_patchset_to_string.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Change patchset to string
+
+Revision ID: 19d3a3ebfe1d
+Revises: cfc0dc45f341
+Create Date: 2018-01-10 07:42:16.546751
+
+"""
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = '19d3a3ebfe1d'
+down_revision = 'cfc0dc45f341'
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+
+BUILDSET_TABLE = 'zuul_buildset'
+
+
+def upgrade(table_prefix=''):
+    op.alter_column(table_prefix + BUILDSET_TABLE,
+                    'patchset',
+                    type_=sa.String(255),
+                    existing_nullable=True)
+
+
+def downgrade():
+    raise Exception("Downgrades not supported")
diff --git a/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py b/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
index 285d0c23f3..715d72bbaf 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/sql/sqlconnection.py
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class SQLConnection(BaseConnection):
             sa.Column('pipeline', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('project', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('change', sa.Integer, nullable=True),
-            sa.Column('patchset', sa.Integer, nullable=True),
+            sa.Column('patchset', sa.String(255), nullable=True),
             sa.Column('ref', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('oldrev', sa.String(255)),
             sa.Column('newrev', sa.String(255)),