diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/deb/DebCopyAction.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/deb/DebCopyAction.groovy
index 4294a876..fd79615f 100755
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/deb/DebCopyAction.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/deb/DebCopyAction.groovy
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class DebCopyAction extends AbstractPackagingCopyAction<Deb> {
             Integer uid = (Integer) lookup(specToLookAt, 'uid') ?: task.uid ?: 0
             String group = lookup(specToLookAt, 'permissionGroup') ?: task.permissionGroup
             Integer gid = (Integer) lookup(specToLookAt, 'gid') ?: task.gid ?: 0
-            String setgid = lookup(specToLookAt, 'setgid') ?: task.setgid
+            Boolean setgid = lookup(specToLookAt, 'setgid') ?: task.setgid
 
             int fileMode = dirDetails.mode
             if (setgid) {
diff --git a/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/rpm/RpmCopyAction.groovy b/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/rpm/RpmCopyAction.groovy
index bddc3b9d..c5d58c46 100755
--- a/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/rpm/RpmCopyAction.groovy
+++ b/src/main/groovy/com/netflix/gradle/plugins/rpm/RpmCopyAction.groovy
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class RpmCopyAction extends AbstractPackagingCopyAction<Rpm> {
             Directive directive = (Directive) lookup(specToLookAt, 'fileType') ?: task.fileType
             String user = lookup(specToLookAt, 'user') ?: task.user
             String group = lookup(specToLookAt, 'permissionGroup') ?: task.permissionGroup
-            String setgid = lookup(specToLookAt, 'setgid') ?: task.setgid
+            Boolean setgid = lookup(specToLookAt, 'setgid') ?: task.setgid
             if (setgid) {
                 dirMode = dirMode | 02000
             }