diff --git a/hugolib/template.go b/hugolib/template.go
index 664bb5214..0d8c29bf4 100644
--- a/hugolib/template.go
+++ b/hugolib/template.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/eknkc/amber"
+	"github.com/spf13/cast"
 	"github.com/spf13/hugo/helpers"
 	jww "github.com/spf13/jwalterweatherman"
 )
@@ -167,8 +168,15 @@ func In(l interface{}, v interface{}) bool {
 
 // First is exposed to templates, to iterate over the first N items in a
 // rangeable list.
-func First(limit int, seq interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
-	if limit < 1 {
+func First(limit interface{}, seq interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
+
+	limitv, err := cast.ToIntE(limit)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if limitv < 1 {
 		return nil, errors.New("can't return negative/empty count of items from sequence")
 	}
 
@@ -189,10 +197,10 @@ func First(limit int, seq interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
 	default:
 		return nil, errors.New("can't iterate over " + reflect.ValueOf(seq).Type().String())
 	}
-	if limit > seqv.Len() {
-		limit = seqv.Len()
+	if limitv > seqv.Len() {
+		limitv = seqv.Len()
 	}
-	return seqv.Slice(0, limit).Interface(), nil
+	return seqv.Slice(0, limitv).Interface(), nil
 }
 
 func Where(seq, key, match interface{}) (interface{}, error) {
diff --git a/hugolib/template_test.go b/hugolib/template_test.go
index eb0a42707..b4d95f0b4 100644
--- a/hugolib/template_test.go
+++ b/hugolib/template_test.go
@@ -125,21 +125,31 @@ func TestDoArithmetic(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFirst(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, this := range []struct {
-		count    int
+		count    interface{}
 		sequence interface{}
 		expect   interface{}
 	}{
-		{2, []string{"a", "b", "c"}, []string{"a", "b"}},
-		{3, []string{"a", "b"}, []string{"a", "b"}},
-		{2, []int{100, 200, 300}, []int{100, 200}},
+		{int(2), []string{"a", "b", "c"}, []string{"a", "b"}},
+		{int32(3), []string{"a", "b"}, []string{"a", "b"}},
+		{int64(2), []int{100, 200, 300}, []int{100, 200}},
+		{100, []int{100, 200}, []int{100, 200}},
+		{"1", []int{100, 200, 300}, []int{100}},
+		{int64(-1), []int{100, 200, 300}, false},
+		{"noint", []int{100, 200, 300}, false},
 	} {
 		results, err := First(this.count, this.sequence)
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Errorf("[%d] failed: %s", i, err)
-			continue
-		}
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(results, this.expect) {
-			t.Errorf("[%d] First %d items, got %v but expected %v", i, this.count, results, this.expect)
+		if b, ok := this.expect.(bool); ok && !b {
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Errorf("[%d] First didn't return an expected error")
+			}
+		} else {
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("[%d] failed: %s", i, err)
+				continue
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(results, this.expect) {
+				t.Errorf("[%d] First %d items, got %v but expected %v", i, this.count, results, this.expect)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }