diff --git a/src/finn/core/remote_exec.py b/src/finn/core/remote_exec.py
index 5c330e29a52ab73343fbf7fd1858020b3d0cdd30..e97eb19a101e83f9d9603637e131b2ec9b7d16a4 100644
--- a/src/finn/core/remote_exec.py
+++ b/src/finn/core/remote_exec.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def remote_exec(model, execution_context):
     input values."""
     # TODO fix for multi input-output
     pynq_ip = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_ip")
-    pynq_port = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_port")
+    pynq_port = int(model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_port"))
     pynq_username = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_username")
     pynq_password = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_password")
     pynq_target_dir = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_target_dir")
diff --git a/src/finn/core/throughput_test.py b/src/finn/core/throughput_test.py
index dda30b638255562e0dd1795ae5dc7586177308dc..fc929237bf6c985997e49cc3f74c7d492d79839a 100644
--- a/src/finn/core/throughput_test.py
+++ b/src/finn/core/throughput_test.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def throughput_test(model):
     Returns a dictionary with results of the throughput test"""
 
     pynq_ip = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_ip")
-    pynq_port = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_port")
+    pynq_port = int(model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_port"))
     pynq_username = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_username")
     pynq_password = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_password")
     pynq_target_dir = model.get_metadata_prop("pynq_target_dir")
diff --git a/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/make_deployment.py b/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/make_deployment.py
index 28b6b2c34ac0e18ab4e4d92a82d03249f5126d0c..a185f5392c4b5ec848cd463e02ebab4be9c56a46 100644
--- a/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/make_deployment.py
+++ b/src/finn/transformation/fpgadataflow/make_deployment.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class DeployToPYNQ(Transformation):
     def apply(self, model):
         # set metadata properties accordingly to user input specifications
         model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_ip", self.ip)
-        model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_port", self.port)
+        model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_port", str(self.port))
         model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_username", self.username)
         model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_password", self.password)
         model.set_metadata_prop("pynq_target_dir", self.target_dir)