diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonProperties.java b/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonProperties.java
index 5a3873b7a..492b12887 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonProperties.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonProperties.java
@@ -103,16 +103,18 @@ public class RibbonProperties {
         Object property = this.config.getProperty(PoolKeepAliveTime);
         if (property instanceof Long) {
             return (Long) property;
+        } else if (property instanceof String) {
+            return Long.valueOf((String) property);
         }
         return null;
     }
 
-    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
     public long poolKeepAliveTime() {
-        Object property = this.config.getProperty(PoolKeepAliveTime);
-        if (property instanceof Long) {
-            return (Long) property;
+        Long poolKeepAliveTime = getPoolKeepAliveTime();
+        if (poolKeepAliveTime != null) {
+            return poolKeepAliveTime;
         }
+
         return DEFAULT_POOL_KEEP_ALIVE_TIME;
     }
 
diff --git a/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonPropertiesTests.java b/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonPropertiesTests.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb414ace0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spring-cloud-netflix-ribbon/src/test/java/org/springframework/cloud/netflix/ribbon/RibbonPropertiesTests.java
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2013-2019 the original author or authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ */
+
+package org.springframework.cloud.netflix.ribbon;
+
+import com.netflix.client.config.CommonClientConfigKey;
+import com.netflix.client.config.DefaultClientConfigImpl;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+
+/**
+ * @author Spencer Gibb
+ */
+public class RibbonPropertiesTests {
+
+	@Test
+	public void poolKeepAliveWorksWithString() {
+		DefaultClientConfigImpl config = new DefaultClientConfigImpl();
+		config.setProperty(CommonClientConfigKey.PoolKeepAliveTime, "714");
+		RibbonProperties properties = new RibbonProperties(config);
+		assertThat(properties.poolKeepAliveTime()).isEqualTo(714L);
+		assertThat(properties.getPoolKeepAliveTime()).isEqualTo(714L);
+	}
+}