diff --git a/django/core/management/__init__.py b/django/core/management/__init__.py
index 7e4982f0a2..eb49cce375 100644
--- a/django/core/management/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/management/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from django.core.management.base import (
 from django.core.management.color import color_style
 from django.utils import autoreload, lru_cache, six
 from django.utils._os import npath, upath
+from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 
 
 def find_commands(management_dir):
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ def call_command(name, *args, **options):
         for s_opt in parser._actions if s_opt.option_strings
     }
     arg_options = {opt_mapping.get(key, key): value for key, value in options.items()}
-    defaults = parser.parse_args(args=args)
+    defaults = parser.parse_args(args=[force_text(a) for a in args])
     defaults = dict(defaults._get_kwargs(), **arg_options)
     # Move positional args out of options to mimic legacy optparse
     args = defaults.pop('args', ())
diff --git a/tests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py b/tests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
index 0fc82724f4..b86ba6c622 100644
--- a/tests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
+++ b/tests/user_commands/management/commands/dance.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
     requires_system_checks = True
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser):
+        parser.add_argument("integer", nargs='?', type=int, default=0)
         parser.add_argument("-s", "--style", default="Rock'n'Roll")
         parser.add_argument("-x", "--example")
         parser.add_argument("--opt-3", action='store_true', dest='option3')
@@ -18,3 +19,5 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         if options['verbosity'] > 0:
             self.stdout.write("I don't feel like dancing %s." % options["style"])
             self.stdout.write(','.join(options.keys()))
+        if options['integer'] > 0:
+            self.stdout.write("You passed %d as a positional argument." % options['integer'])
diff --git a/tests/user_commands/tests.py b/tests/user_commands/tests.py
index 8bceccc487..772da22bed 100644
--- a/tests/user_commands/tests.py
+++ b/tests/user_commands/tests.py
@@ -103,6 +103,14 @@ class CommandTests(SimpleTestCase):
         self.assertNotIn("opt_3", out.getvalue())
         self.assertNotIn("opt-3", out.getvalue())
 
+    def test_call_command_option_parsing_non_string_arg(self):
+        """
+        It should be possible to pass non-string arguments to call_command.
+        """
+        out = StringIO()
+        management.call_command('dance', 1, verbosity=0, stdout=out)
+        self.assertIn("You passed 1 as a positional argument.", out.getvalue())
+
     def test_calling_a_command_with_only_empty_parameter_should_ends_gracefully(self):
         out = StringIO()
         management.call_command('hal', "--empty", stdout=out)