diff --git a/wp-includes/cron.php b/wp-includes/cron.php
index c3a281a626..4912d5f503 100644
--- a/wp-includes/cron.php
+++ b/wp-includes/cron.php
@@ -863,7 +863,7 @@ function spawn_cron( $gmt_time = 0 ) {
 	 * Multiple processes on multiple web servers can run this code concurrently,
 	 * this lock attempts to make spawning as atomic as possible.
 	 */
-	$lock = get_transient( 'doing_cron' );
+	$lock = (float) get_transient( 'doing_cron' );
 
 	if ( $lock > $gmt_time + 10 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS ) {
 		$lock = 0;
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 74209c6c94..887732458b 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '6.4-alpha-56552';
+$wp_version = '6.4-alpha-56553';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.