diff --git a/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs b/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
index a9f54f59eb..53dbcd3f95 100644
--- a/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-parser/src/type_check.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ use nu_protocol::{
 pub fn type_compatible(lhs: &Type, rhs: &Type) -> bool {
     match (lhs, rhs) {
         (Type::List(c), Type::List(d)) => type_compatible(c, d),
+        (Type::Number, Type::Int) => true,
+        (Type::Number, Type::Float) => true,
         (Type::Unknown, _) => true,
         (_, Type::Unknown) => true,
         (lhs, rhs) => lhs == rhs,
diff --git a/src/tests/test_type_check.rs b/src/tests/test_type_check.rs
index 320836b805..ae93ceb37d 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_type_check.rs
+++ b/src/tests/test_type_check.rs
@@ -14,3 +14,13 @@ fn type_in_list_of_this_type() -> TestResult {
 fn type_in_list_of_non_this_type() -> TestResult {
     fail_test(r#"'hello' in [41 42 43]"#, "mismatched for operation")
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn number_int() -> TestResult {
+    run_test(r#"def foo [x:number] { $x }; foo 1"#, "1")
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn number_float() -> TestResult {
+    run_test(r#"def foo [x:number] { $x }; foo 1.4"#, "1.4")
+}