diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_mobs/api.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_mobs/api.lua
index 5cb7fcf85..af58de3b6 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_mobs/api.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_mobs/api.lua
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ local disable_blood = minetest.settings:get_bool("mobs_disable_blood")
 local mobs_drop_items = minetest.settings:get_bool("mobs_drop_items") ~= false
 local mobs_griefing = minetest.settings:get_bool("mobs_griefing") ~= false
 local spawn_protected = minetest.settings:get_bool("mobs_spawn_protected") ~= false
-local player_transfer_distance = minetest.settings:get("player_transfer_distance") or 128
+local player_transfer_distance = tonumber(minetest.settings:get("player_transfer_distance")) or 128
 local remove_far = true
 local difficulty = tonumber(minetest.settings:get("mob_difficulty")) or 1.0
 local show_health = false