diff --git a/packages/gatsby-plugin-netlify/src/create-redirects.js b/packages/gatsby-plugin-netlify/src/create-redirects.js
index 600dc95ebc1c7..ddfd425ae3e62 100644
--- a/packages/gatsby-plugin-netlify/src/create-redirects.js
+++ b/packages/gatsby-plugin-netlify/src/create-redirects.js
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ export default async function writeRedirectsFile(
     } = redirect
 
     let status = isPermanent ? `301` : `302`
-    if (statusCode) status = statusCode
+    if (statusCode) status = String(statusCode)
 
-    if (force) status = status.concat(`!`)
+    if (force) status = `${status}!`
 
     // The order of the first 3 parameters is significant.
     // The order for rest params (key-value pairs) is arbitrary.