diff --git a/WebHostLib/__init__.py b/WebHostLib/__init__.py
index eaf605063c..11a9619a7e 100644
--- a/WebHostLib/__init__.py
+++ b/WebHostLib/__init__.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ app.config["SELFLAUNCHKEY"] = None  # can point to a SSL Certificate Key to encr
 app.config["SELFGEN"] = True  # application process is in charge of scheduling Generations.
 app.config["DEBUG"] = False
 app.config["PORT"] = 80
-app.config["GAME_PORTS"] = "49152-65535,0"
+app.config["GAME_PORTS"] = ["49152-65535", 0]
 app.config['UPLOAD_FOLDER'] = UPLOAD_FOLDER
 app.config['MAX_CONTENT_LENGTH'] = 64 * 1024 * 1024  # 64 megabyte limit
 # if you want to deploy, make sure you have a non-guessable secret key
diff --git a/WebHostLib/customserver.py b/WebHostLib/customserver.py
index eebcd446d4..275e281350 100644
--- a/WebHostLib/customserver.py
+++ b/WebHostLib/customserver.py
@@ -183,15 +183,14 @@ class WebHostContext(Context):
         return d
 
 
-def get_random_port(game_ports):
-    config_range_list = game_ports.split(",")
+def get_random_port(game_ports: list):
     available_ports = []
     ephemeral_allowed = False
-    for item in config_range_list:
-        if '-' in item:
+    for item in game_ports:
+        if type(item) is str and '-' in item:
             start, end = map(int, item.split('-'))
             available_ports.append(range(start, end+1))
-        elif item == "0":
+        elif int(item) == "0":
             ephemeral_allowed = True
         else:
             available_ports.append([int(item)])
@@ -277,7 +276,7 @@ def tear_down_logging(room_id):
 
 def run_server_process(name: str, ponyconfig: dict, static_server_data: dict,
                        cert_file: typing.Optional[str], cert_key_file: typing.Optional[str],
-                       host: str, game_ports: str, rooms_to_run: multiprocessing.Queue,
+                       host: str, game_ports: list, rooms_to_run: multiprocessing.Queue,
                        rooms_shutting_down: multiprocessing.Queue):
     from setproctitle import setproctitle
 
diff --git a/docs/webhost configuration sample.yaml b/docs/webhost configuration sample.yaml
index 42dcada132..059faeeef9 100644
--- a/docs/webhost configuration sample.yaml	
+++ b/docs/webhost configuration sample.yaml	
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 # Web hosting port
 #PORT: 80
 
-# Ports used for game hosting. Values can be specific ports, port ranges or both. Default is: "49152-65535,0"
-# Zero means it will use a random free port if there is none in the range available
-# Examples of valid values: "40000-41000,49152-65535"
-# If ports within the range(s) are already in use, the WebHost will fallback to the default "49152-65535,0" range.
-#GAME_PORTS: "49152-65535,0"
+# Ports used for game hosting. Values can be specific ports, port ranges or both. Default is: [49152-65535, 0]
+# Zero means it will use a random free port if there is no port in the next 1024 randomly chosen ports from the range
+# Examples of valid values: [40000-41000, 49152-65535]
+# If ports within the range(s) are already in use, the WebHost will fallback to the default [49152-65535, 0] range.
+#GAME_PORTS: [49152-65535, 0]
 
 # Place where uploads go.
 #UPLOAD_FOLDER: uploads