diff --git a/meta/tools/core_allocation_masks/distribute_cores_evenly.py b/meta/tools/core_allocation_masks/distribute_cores_evenly.py
index 8c6b48f1f1728a8d2a66b5c2795d376e30daaaad..29cd5971dff8352c3fda5451a2f923618324a1dc 100644
--- a/meta/tools/core_allocation_masks/distribute_cores_evenly.py
+++ b/meta/tools/core_allocation_masks/distribute_cores_evenly.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def distribute_cores_evenly(
     for t in range(nthreads_per_process):
         single_process_mask[t*skip] = 1
 
-    single_process_mask = sum(single_process_mask[i]*(2**i) for i in range(max_cores_per_process))
+    single_process_mask = sum(int(single_process_mask[i])*(2**i) for i in range(max_cores_per_process))
 
     # now create full node mask:
     all_masks = []