diff --git a/packages/handlebars/parse.js b/packages/handlebars/parse.js
index e1c3d72ddb..6ba6879090 100644
--- a/packages/handlebars/parse.js
+++ b/packages/handlebars/parse.js
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Handlebars.to_json_ast = function (code) {
 
     var choices = {
       ID: function (node) {return identifier(node);},
-      STRING: function (node) {return ''+node.string;},
+      STRING: function (node) {return node.string;},
       INTEGER: function (node) {return +node.integer;},
       BOOLEAN: function (node) {return (node.bool === 'true');}
     };
diff --git a/packages/templating/templating_tests.js b/packages/templating/templating_tests.js
index f13986e233..e56f031003 100644
--- a/packages/templating/templating_tests.js
+++ b/packages/templating/templating_tests.js
@@ -1028,8 +1028,7 @@ Tinytest.add('templating - helper typecast Issue #617', function (test) {
       "[number,0][number,1][number,-1][number,10][number,-10]" +
       // errors
       "[undefined,undefined][undefined,undefined]" +
-      // for some reason handlebars has an extra argument. this is an
-      // internal detail. if it changes, just change this test.
+      // handlebars 'options' argument. appended to args of all helpers.
       "[object]");
 });