diff --git a/administrator/components/com_menus/src/Model/ItemModel.php b/administrator/components/com_menus/src/Model/ItemModel.php
index 715bb709d2a36..2013dff65046f 100644
--- a/administrator/components/com_menus/src/Model/ItemModel.php
+++ b/administrator/components/com_menus/src/Model/ItemModel.php
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ protected function populateState()
 
         $this->setState('item.type', $type);
 
-        $link = $app->isClient('api') ? $app->getInput()->get('link') :
+        $link = $app->isClient('api') ? $app->getInput()->get('link', null, 'string') :
             $app->getUserState('com_menus.edit.item.link');
 
         if ($link) {