--- ./apache-tomcat-6.0.20-src/java/org/apache/el/lang/ELSupport.java	2009-05-14 01:15:15.000000000 +0200
+++ ./apache-tomcat-6.0.24-src/java/org/apache/el/lang/ELSupport.java	2010-01-19 14:43:40.000000000 +0100
@@ -246,6 +246,9 @@
         if (Float.TYPE == type || Float.class.equals(type)) {
             return new Float(number.floatValue());
         }
+        if (Number.class.equals(type)) {
+            return number;
+        }
 
         throw new IllegalArgumentException(MessageFactory.get("error.convert",
                 number, number.getClass(), type));