--- ext/syck/rubyext.c	27 Sep 2005 22:57:52 -0000	1.30.2.15
+++ ext/syck/rubyext.c	5 Oct 2005 10:24:16 -0000
@@ -1142,6 +1142,9 @@
             }
             else if ( !NIL_P( target_class ) )
             {
+                if (subclass == rb_cBignum)
+                    obj = rb_str2inum(val, 10);
+                else
                 obj = rb_obj_alloc( subclass );
                 if ( rb_respond_to( obj, s_yaml_initialize ) )
                 {