diff --git a/fail2ban/helpers.py b/fail2ban/helpers.py
index 49a5ca47c..c6da8f304 100644
--- a/fail2ban/helpers.py
+++ b/fail2ban/helpers.py
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ def substituteRecursiveTags(inptags, conditional='',
 					m = tre_search(value, m.end())
 					continue
 				# if calling map - be sure we've string:
-				if noRecRepl: repl = uni_string(repl)
+				if not isinstance(repl, basestring): repl = uni_string(repl)
 				value = value.replace('<%s>' % rtag, repl)
 				#logSys.log(5, 'value now: %s' % value)
 				# increment reference count:
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/action.py b/fail2ban/server/action.py
index 10d1acd9d..ef953eff6 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/action.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/action.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ class CommandAction(ActionBase):
 		if not name.startswith('_') and not self.__init and not callable(value):
 			# special case for some parameters:
 			if name in ('timeout', 'bantime'):
-				value = str(MyTime.str2seconds(value))
+				value = MyTime.str2seconds(value)
 			# parameters changed - clear properties and substitution cache:
 			self.__properties = None
 			self.__substCache.clear()
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
index 425ab7577..610a1a5d2 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
@@ -661,11 +661,11 @@ class Transmitter(TransmitterBase):
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(
 				["set", self.jailName, "action", action, "timeout", "10"]),
-			(0, "10"))
+			(0, 10))
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(
 				["get", self.jailName, "action", action, "timeout"]),
-			(0, "10"))
+			(0, 10))
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(["set", self.jailName, "delaction", action]),
 			(0, None))