diff --git a/fail2ban/__init__.py b/fail2ban/__init__.py
index 317f53e7..fa6dcf77 100644
--- a/fail2ban/__init__.py
+++ b/fail2ban/__init__.py
@@ -79,3 +79,10 @@ logging.handlers.SysLogHandler.priority_map['NOTICE'] = 'notice'
 from time import strptime
 # strptime thread safety hack-around - http://bugs.python.org/issue7980
 strptime("2012", "%Y")
+
+# short names for pure numeric log-level ("Level 25" could be truncated by short formats):
+def _init():
+	for i in xrange(50):
+		if logging.getLevelName(i).startswith('Level'):
+			logging.addLevelName(i, '#%02d-Lev.' % i)
+_init()
diff --git a/fail2ban/helpers.py b/fail2ban/helpers.py
index 49a5ca47..c6da8f30 100644
--- a/fail2ban/helpers.py
+++ b/fail2ban/helpers.py
@@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ def substituteRecursiveTags(inptags, conditional='',
 					m = tre_search(value, m.end())
 					continue
 				# if calling map - be sure we've string:
-				if noRecRepl: repl = uni_string(repl)
+				if not isinstance(repl, basestring): repl = uni_string(repl)
 				value = value.replace('<%s>' % rtag, repl)
 				#logSys.log(5, 'value now: %s' % value)
 				# increment reference count:
diff --git a/fail2ban/server/action.py b/fail2ban/server/action.py
index ec9ad19a..8d69327d 100644
--- a/fail2ban/server/action.py
+++ b/fail2ban/server/action.py
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ class CommandAction(ActionBase):
 			if wrp == 'ignore': # ignore (filter) dynamic parameters
 				return
 			elif wrp == 'str2seconds':
-				value = str(MyTime.str2seconds(value))
+				value = MyTime.str2seconds(value)
 			# parameters changed - clear properties and substitution cache:
 			self.__properties = None
 			self.__substCache.clear()
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
index 8a4ef401..af08bd86 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/servertestcase.py
@@ -661,11 +661,11 @@ class Transmitter(TransmitterBase):
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(
 				["set", self.jailName, "action", action, "timeout", "10"]),
-			(0, "10"))
+			(0, 10))
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(
 				["get", self.jailName, "action", action, "timeout"]),
-			(0, "10"))
+			(0, 10))
 		self.assertEqual(
 			self.transm.proceed(["set", self.jailName, "delaction", action]),
 			(0, None))