diff --git a/sshuttle/client.py b/sshuttle/client.py
index c1cabdb..e586a4a 100644
--- a/sshuttle/client.py
+++ b/sshuttle/client.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class FirewallClient:
                     ['-v'] * (helpers.verbose or 0) +
                     ['--method', method_name] +
                     ['--firewall'] +
-                    ['--ttl', ttl])
+                    ['--ttl', str(ttl)])
         if ssyslog._p:
             argvbase += ['--syslog']
 
diff --git a/sshuttle/options.py b/sshuttle/options.py
index 377a1fd..290e176 100644
--- a/sshuttle/options.py
+++ b/sshuttle/options.py
@@ -389,7 +389,8 @@ parser.add_argument(
 )
 parser.add_argument(
     "--ttl",
-    default="63",
+    type=int,
+    default=63,
     help="""
     Override the TTL for the connections made by the sshuttle server.
     Default is 63.