diff --git a/app/helpers/ontologies_helper.rb b/app/helpers/ontologies_helper.rb
index 7c9825ca9f..16c9059322 100644
--- a/app/helpers/ontologies_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/ontologies_helper.rb
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ def notes_link(ontology, count)
 
   # Creates a link based on the status of an ontology submission
   def status_link(submission, latest = false, target = '')
-    version_text = submission.version.nil? || submission.version.length == 0 ? 'unknown' : submission.version
+    version_text = submission.version.nil? || submission.version.to_s.length == 0 ? 'unknown' : submission.version.to_s
     status_text = " <span class='ontology_submission_status'>" + submission_status2string(submission) + '</span>'
     if submission.ontology.summaryOnly || latest == false
       version_link = version_text