diff --git a/lib/ansible/constants.py b/lib/ansible/constants.py
index c9daa24722..dbe7ef2db5 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/constants.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/constants.py
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ def get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default, boolean=False, integer=False,
     value = _get_config(p, section, key, env_var, default)
     if boolean:
         return mk_boolean(value)
-    if integer:
+    if value and integer:
         return int(value)
-    if floating:
+    if value and floating:
         return float(value)
     return value
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ DEFAULT_ASK_PASS          = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ask_pass',  'ANSIBLE_ASK_PA
 DEFAULT_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE  = shell_expand_path(get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'private_key_file', 'ANSIBLE_PRIVATE_KEY_FILE', None))
 DEFAULT_SUDO_USER         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'sudo_user',        'ANSIBLE_SUDO_USER',        'root')
 DEFAULT_ASK_SUDO_PASS     = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ask_sudo_pass',    'ANSIBLE_ASK_SUDO_PASS',    False, boolean=True)
-DEFAULT_REMOTE_PORT       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_port',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT',      22, integer=True)
+DEFAULT_REMOTE_PORT       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'remote_port',      'ANSIBLE_REMOTE_PORT',      None, integer=True)
 DEFAULT_TRANSPORT         = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'transport',        'ANSIBLE_TRANSPORT',        'smart')
 DEFAULT_SCP_IF_SSH        = get_config(p, 'ssh_connection', 'scp_if_ssh',       'ANSIBLE_SCP_IF_SSH',       False, boolean=True)
 DEFAULT_MANAGED_STR       = get_config(p, DEFAULTS, 'ansible_managed',  None,           'Ansible managed: {file} modified on %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S by {uid} on {host}')