diff --git a/ansible/roles/vm_set/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/vm_set/tasks/main.yml
index de8c29f51a0..97b02e58f94 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/vm_set/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/vm_set/tasks/main.yml
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 
 - name: Limit VM
   set_fact: VM_hosts="{{ VM_hosts | first_n_elements(VM_num) }}"
-  when: VM_num is defined and VM_num > 0
+  when: VM_num is defined and VM_num|int > 0
 
 - name: Generate vm list of target VMs
   set_fact: VM_targets={{ VM_hosts | filter_vm_targets(topology['VMs'], VM_base) | sort }}