diff --git a/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml b/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
index 86886ff0d..e83b6c955 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ matrix_host_command_openssl: "/usr/bin/env openssl"
 matrix_host_command_systemctl: "/usr/bin/env systemctl"
 matrix_host_command_sh: "/usr/bin/env sh"
 
-matrix_ntpd_package: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '7') or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '18')  else ( 'systemd' if ansible_os_family == 'Suse' else 'ntp' ) }}"
-matrix_ntpd_service: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '7') or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '18') or ansible_distribution == 'Archlinux' or ansible_os_family == 'Suse' else ('ntpd' if ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' else 'ntp') }}"
+matrix_ntpd_package: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int > 7) or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int > 18)  else ( 'systemd' if ansible_os_family == 'Suse' else 'ntp' ) }}"
+matrix_ntpd_service: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int > 7) or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int > 18) or ansible_distribution == 'Archlinux' or ansible_os_family == 'Suse' else ('ntpd' if ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' else 'ntp') }}"
 
 matrix_homeserver_url: "https://{{ matrix_server_fqn_matrix }}"
 
diff --git a/roles/matrix-base/tasks/server_base/setup.yml b/roles/matrix-base/tasks/server_base/setup.yml
index 45a61aea1..b1f82cd0d 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-base/tasks/server_base/setup.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-base/tasks/server_base/setup.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 ---
 
 - include_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/server_base/setup_redhat.yml"
-  when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version < '8'
+  when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int < 8
 
 - include_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/server_base/setup_redhat8.yml"
-  when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '7'
+  when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int > 7
 
 - block:
   # ansible_lsb is only available if lsb-release is installed.