diff --git a/web/src/prefs.js b/web/src/prefs.js
index 3abf58843..dbe9400dd 100644
--- a/web/src/prefs.js
+++ b/web/src/prefs.js
@@ -71,14 +71,20 @@ export class Prefs extends EventTarget {
     if (value === null) {
       return fallback;
     }
-    if (value === 'true') {
-      return true;
+
+    const type = typeof fallback;
+    if (type === 'boolean') {
+      if (value === 'true') {
+        return true;
+      }
+      if (value === 'false') {
+        return false;
+      }
+      return fallback;
     }
-    if (value === 'false') {
-      return false;
-    }
-    if (/^\d+$/.test(value)) {
-      return Number.parseInt(value, 10);
+    if (type === 'number') {
+      const f = Number.parseFloat(value);
+      return Number.isNaN(f) ? fallback : f;
     }
     return value;
   }
diff --git a/web/src/transmission.js b/web/src/transmission.js
index 52c88509d..e44981e4e 100644
--- a/web/src/transmission.js
+++ b/web/src/transmission.js
@@ -375,7 +375,8 @@ export class Transmission extends EventTarget {
       case Prefs.RefreshRate: {
         clearInterval(this.refreshTorrentsInterval);
         const callback = this.refreshTorrents.bind(this);
-        const msec = Math.max(2, this.prefs.refresh_rate_sec) * 1000;
+        const pref = this.prefs.refresh_rate_sec;
+        const msec = pref > 0 ? pref * 1000 : 1000;
         this.refreshTorrentsInterval = setInterval(callback, msec);
         break;
       }