diff --git a/tools/fastqc.py b/tools/fastqc.py
index 41b94553..04f337f9 100644
--- a/tools/fastqc.py
+++ b/tools/fastqc.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def version(self):
         return TOOL_VERSION
 
     def execute(self, inBam, out_html, out_zip=None, threads=None):    # pylint: disable=W0221
-        threads =  util.misc.sanitize_thread_count(threads=int(threads))
+        threads =  util.misc.sanitize_thread_count(threads)
 
         if tools.samtools.SamtoolsTool().isEmpty(inBam):
             # fastqc can't deal with empty input