diff --git a/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts b/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
index 6532c8d8..17e8a910 100644
--- a/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
+++ b/packages/artifact/src/internal/shared/config.ts
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export function getUploadChunkTimeout(): number {
 // This value can be changed with ACTIONS_ARTIFACT_MAX_ARTIFACT_COUNT variable.
 // Defaults to 1000 as a safeguard for rate limiting.
 export function getMaxArtifactListCount(): number {
-  const maxCountVar = process.env['ACTIONS_ARTIFACT_MAX_ARTIFACT_COUNT'] || 1000
+  const maxCountVar = process.env['ACTIONS_ARTIFACT_MAX_ARTIFACT_COUNT'] || '1000'
 
   const maxCount = parseInt(maxCountVar)
   if (isNaN(maxCount) || maxCount < 1) {
@@ -112,4 +112,3 @@ export function getMaxArtifactListCount(): number {
 
   return maxCount
 }
-