diff --git a/src/linkahead/common/models.py b/src/linkahead/common/models.py
index 9085c8e4d9b95c6b71ea66951342960f8b934793..627019a304dc6232f52e18e95ecac8ec86ba2ed8 100644
--- a/src/linkahead/common/models.py
+++ b/src/linkahead/common/models.py
@@ -2282,7 +2282,7 @@ class _Properties(list):
             pelem = p.to_xml(xml=etree.Element("Property"), add_properties=FIX)
 
             if p in self._importance:
-                pelem.set("importance", importance)
+                pelem.set("importance", str(importance))
 
             if p in self._inheritance:
                 pelem.set("flag", "inheritance:" +