diff --git a/datadog_lambda/trigger.py b/datadog_lambda/trigger.py
index 2dffd0b4..7271f239 100644
--- a/datadog_lambda/trigger.py
+++ b/datadog_lambda/trigger.py
@@ -214,4 +214,4 @@ def extract_http_status_code_tag(trigger_tags, response):
     elif hasattr(response, "status_code"):
         status_code = response.status_code
 
-    return status_code
+    return str(status_code)
diff --git a/tests/test_trigger.py b/tests/test_trigger.py
index 85bd4e6b..5c1c5d22 100644
--- a/tests/test_trigger.py
+++ b/tests/test_trigger.py
@@ -342,11 +342,11 @@ def test_extract_http_status_code_tag_from_response_dict(self):
         trigger_tags = {"function_trigger.event_source": "api-gateway"}
         response = {"statusCode": 403}
         status_code = extract_http_status_code_tag(trigger_tags, response)
-        self.assertEqual(status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(status_code, "403")
 
     def test_extract_http_status_code_tag_from_response_object(self):
         trigger_tags = {"function_trigger.event_source": "api-gateway"}
         response = MagicMock(spec=["status_code"])
         response.status_code = 403
         status_code = extract_http_status_code_tag(trigger_tags, response)
-        self.assertEqual(status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEqual(status_code, "403")