diff --git a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
index d5e923b713..8d4ccce243 100644
--- a/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
+++ b/meta/conf/bitbake.conf
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ PV = "${@bb.parse.BBHandler.vars_from_file(d.getVar('FILE'),d)[1] or '1.0'}"
 PR = "${@bb.parse.BBHandler.vars_from_file(d.getVar('FILE'),d)[2] or 'r0'}"
 PRINC ?= "0"
 PF = "${PN}-${EXTENDPE}${PV}-${PR}"
-EXTENDPE = "${@['','${PE\x7d_'][d.getVar('PE',1) > 0]}"
+EXTENDPE = "${@['','${PE\x7d_'][int(d.getVar('PE',1) or 0) > 0]}"
 P = "${PN}-${PV}"
 
 EXTENDPRAUTO = "${@['.${PRAUTO\x7d',''][d.getVar('PRAUTO',1) is None]}"
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ PRAUTOINX = "${PF}"
 
 PKGV ?= "${PV}"
 PKGR ?= "${PR}${EXTENDPRAUTO}"
-PKGE ?= "${@['','${PE\x7d'][d.getVar('PE',1) > 0]}"
+PKGE ?= "${@['','${PE\x7d'][int(d.getVar('PE',1) or 0) > 0]}"
 EXTENDPKGEVER = "${@['','${PKGE\x7d:'][d.getVar('PKGE',1).strip() != '']}"
 EXTENDPKGV ?= "${EXTENDPKGEVER}${PKGV}-${PKGR}"