diff --git a/src/scales/scale.category.js b/src/scales/scale.category.js
index 3d773a8a8c2..5565abc3f72 100644
--- a/src/scales/scale.category.js
+++ b/src/scales/scale.category.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ const validIndex = (index, max) => index === null ? null : _limitValue(Math.roun
 function _getLabelForValue(value) {
   const labels = this.getLabels();
 
-  if (value >= 0 && value < labels.length) {
+  if (typeof value === 'number' && value >= 0 && value < labels.length) {
     return labels[value];
   }
   return value;
diff --git a/test/specs/scale.category.tests.js b/test/specs/scale.category.tests.js
index 70b0bb9a383..03d77f6af8f 100644
--- a/test/specs/scale.category.tests.js
+++ b/test/specs/scale.category.tests.js
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ describe('Category scale tests', function() {
           yAxisID: 'y',
           data: [10, 5, 0, 25, 78]
         }],
-        labels: ['tick1', 'tick2', 'tick3', 'tick4', 'tick5']
+        labels: ['tick1', 'tick2', 'tick3', '1', 'tick5']
       },
       options: {
         scales: {
@@ -176,6 +176,8 @@ describe('Category scale tests', function() {
     var scale = chart.scales.x;
 
     expect(scale.getLabelForValue(1)).toBe('tick2');
+    expect(scale.getLabelForValue('tick3')).toBe('tick3');
+    expect(scale.getLabelForValue('1')).toBe('1'); // and not 'tick2'
   });
 
   it('Should get the correct pixel for a value when horizontal', function() {