diff --git a/mx.fastr/suite.py b/mx.fastr/suite.py
index 7050378a9cd45f619914ab18dabc5b9113ecfb09..5125e1198329af760d5f010f9bf495582b5c4bc8 100644
--- a/mx.fastr/suite.py
+++ b/mx.fastr/suite.py
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ suite = {
         "com.oracle.truffle.r.engine",
         "com.oracle.truffle.r.ffi.impl"
       ],
-      "max_jobs" : 8,
+      "max_jobs" : "8",
       "native" : True,
       "workingSets" : "FastR",
       "buildDependencies" : ["FASTR"],