diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 21d5c02f..b58e9ff6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  - Add node-id property to each md-card.
  - Force time picker image to contrast with background.
  - Let slider show status even if no nodes attached to output.
+ - Fix dropdown to return correct message type.
 
 ### 2.23.4: Maintenance Release
 
diff --git a/dist/dashboard.appcache b/dist/dashboard.appcache
index 9f9c2c0f..23a04beb 100644
--- a/dist/dashboard.appcache
+++ b/dist/dashboard.appcache
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CACHE MANIFEST
-# Time: Sat Oct 24 2020 22:54:02 GMT+0100 (British Summer Time)
+# Time: Mon Oct 26 2020 21:17:31 GMT+0000 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 
 CACHE:
 i18n.js
diff --git a/nodes/ui_dropdown.js b/nodes/ui_dropdown.js
index 5d1fd5c8..0715d2ba 100644
--- a/nodes/ui_dropdown.js
+++ b/nodes/ui_dropdown.js
@@ -125,14 +125,14 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                 var val = node.multiple ? [] : "";
                 for (var i=0; i<control.options.length; i++) {
                     if (!node.multiple && control.options[i].value === msg) {
-                        if (typeof control.options[i].value === "string") {
+                        if (typeof control.options[i].value === "string" && control.options[i].type !== "str") {
                             try { control.options[i].value = JSON.parse(control.options[i].value); }
                             catch(e) {}
                         }
                         val = control.options[i].value;
                         break;
                     } else if (node.multiple && Array.isArray(msg) && msg.indexOf(control.options[i].value) !== -1) {
-                        if (typeof control.options[i].value === "string") {
+                        if (typeof control.options[i].value === "string" && control.options[i].type !== "str") {
                             try { control.options[i].value = JSON.parse(control.options[i].value); }
                             catch(e) {}
                         }
@@ -168,7 +168,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                         node.status({shape:"dot",fill:"grey",text:node.state[1] + " | " + node.state[1]});
                     }
                 }
-
             }
         });