diff --git a/django/template/defaultfilters.py b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
index b0cfcfdeb9..a95a5dff6f 100644
--- a/django/template/defaultfilters.py
+++ b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ def upper(value):
 def urlencode(value):
     "Escapes a value for use in a URL"
     import urllib
+    if not isinstance(value, basestring):
+        value = str(value)
     return urllib.quote(value)
 
 def urlize(value):
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
index 481557b782..b4ec9a0b03 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
@@ -111,6 +111,8 @@ u'\xcb'
 
 >>> urlencode('jack & jill')
 'jack%20%26%20jill'
+>>> urlencode(1)
+'1'
 
 
 >>> urlizetrunc('http://short.com/', 20)