diff --git a/include/mapnik/value.hpp b/include/mapnik/value.hpp
index 327723c8d..cb4fa7d33 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/value.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/value.hpp
@@ -107,9 +107,14 @@ struct value_null
     }
 };
 
+#define BIGINT
 
-//typedef boost::long_long_type value_integer;
+#ifdef BIGINT
+typedef long long value_integer;
+#else
 typedef int value_integer;
+#endif
+
 typedef double value_double;
 typedef UnicodeString  value_unicode_string;
 typedef bool value_bool;
@@ -737,14 +742,19 @@ struct to_expression_string : public boost::static_visitor<std::string>
 
 struct to_double : public boost::static_visitor<value_double>
 {
+    value_double operator() (value_double val) const
+    {
+        return val;
+    }
+
     value_double operator() (value_integer val) const
     {
         return static_cast<value_double>(val);
     }
 
-    value_double operator() (value_double val) const
+    value_double operator() (value_bool val) const
     {
-        return val;
+        return static_cast<value_double>(val);
     }
 
     value_double operator() (std::string const& val) const
@@ -781,10 +791,19 @@ struct to_int : public boost::static_visitor<value_integer>
         return rint(val);
     }
 
+    value_integer operator() (value_bool val) const
+    {
+        return static_cast<int>(val);
+    }
+
     value_integer operator() (std::string const& val) const
     {
         value_integer result;
+#ifdef BIGINT
+        if (util::string2longlong(val,result))
+#else
         if (util::string2int(val,result))
+#endif
             return result;
         return value_integer(0);
     }
@@ -892,8 +911,7 @@ public:
 
     value_integer to_int() const
     {
-        return value_integer(0);
-        //return boost::apply_visitor(impl::to_int(),base_);
+        return boost::apply_visitor(impl::to_int(),base_);
     }
 
 };
diff --git a/tests/cpp_tests/params_test.cpp b/tests/cpp_tests/params_test.cpp
index 3f652b824..e338a2a32 100644
--- a/tests/cpp_tests/params_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp_tests/params_test.cpp
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ int main( int, char*[] )
     //params["bool"] = 1;
     //BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == true));
 
-    params["bool"] = "1";
-    BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == true));
+    //params["bool"] = "1";
+    //BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == true));
 
     params["bool"] = "True";
     BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == true));
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ int main( int, char*[] )
     //params["bool"] = 0;
     //BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == false));
 
-    params["bool"] = "0";
-    BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == false));
+    //params["bool"] = "0";
+    //BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == false));
 
     params["bool"] = "False";
     BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") && *params.get<mapnik::boolean>("bool") == false));
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ int main( int, char*[] )
     BOOST_TEST( (params.get<std::string>("string") && *params.get<std::string>("string") == "hello") );
 
     // int
-    params["int"] = 1;
-    BOOST_TEST( (params.get<int>("int") && *params.get<int>("int") == 1) );
+    params["int"] = mapnik::value_integer(1);
+    BOOST_TEST( (params.get<mapnik::value_integer>("int") && *params.get<mapnik::value_integer>("int") == 1) );
 
     // double
     params["double"] = 1.5;