diff --git a/info.rkt b/info.rkt
index 029d5c0..a68f296 100644
--- a/info.rkt
+++ b/info.rkt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #lang info
 
 (define pkg-authors '(hnmdijkema))
-(define version "0.2.7")
+(define version "0.2.8")
 (define license 'MIT)   
 (define collection "web-racket")
 (define pkg-desc "web-racket - A Web Based GUI library, based on webui-wire")
diff --git a/private/web-racket.rkt b/private/web-racket.rkt
index 5eed899..86ad0b7 100644
--- a/private/web-racket.rkt
+++ b/private/web-racket.rkt
@@ -191,6 +191,9 @@
       (define cb #f)
       (define val #f)
 
+      (define/public (value-converter v)
+        v)
+
       (define/public (get)
         val)
 
@@ -217,8 +220,10 @@
       (super-new)
 
       (begin
-        (inp-set! val (ww-get-value (send this get-win-id)
-                                    (send this get-id)))
+
+        (let ((v (ww-get-value (send this get-win-id) (send this get-id))))
+          (inp-set! val (send this value-converter v)))
+        
         (send this connect 'input (λ (data)
                                     (ww-debug "WW-INPUT% 'input event:" data)
                                     (let ((js-evt (hash-ref data 'js_evt #f)))
@@ -306,9 +311,9 @@
   (define ww-input-range%
     (class ww-input%
 
-      (define/override (get)
-        (let ((val (super get)))
-          val))
+      (define/override (value-converter v)
+        (string->number v))
+      
       (super-new)
       ))
 
diff --git a/private/web-wire.rkt b/private/web-wire.rkt
index ac4f7b7..a3a70fd 100644
--- a/private/web-wire.rkt
+++ b/private/web-wire.rkt
@@ -899,7 +899,14 @@
   ;; get value of an element
   (def-cmd ww-get-value
     value ((win-id ww-win?)
-           (element-id symbol-or-string?)) () -> json)
+           (element-id symbol-or-string?)) () -> string
+    => (λ (val)
+         ; expect <element-id>:{ "result": <result: string> }
+         (let ((e-id (format "~a:" element-id)))
+           (unless (string=? (substring val 0 (string-length e-id)) e-id)
+             (error "Unexpected for ww-get-value, result does not start with requested id"))
+           (ww-from-json (substring val (string-length e-id)))))
+    )
 
   ;; set value of an element
   (def-cmd ww-set-value