diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/HeadersAndPropertiesAccessNode.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/HeadersAndPropertiesAccessNode.java
index 42fc3d944a..5c20445b56 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/HeadersAndPropertiesAccessNode.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/HeadersAndPropertiesAccessNode.java
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 import org.apache.synapse.util.synapse.expression.context.EvaluationContext;
 import org.apache.synapse.util.synapse.expression.exception.EvaluationException;
 
+import java.math.BigDecimal;
+
 /**
  * Represents a node in the abstract syntax tree that provides access to headers and properties.
  */
@@ -80,11 +82,31 @@ public ExpressionResult evaluate(EvaluationContext context, boolean isObjectValu
                 }
             }
             if (value != null) {
-                return new ExpressionResult(value.toString());
+                return tryParseNumber(value.toString());
             } else {
                 throw new EvaluationException("Could not fetch the value of the key: " + name);
             }
         }
         throw new EvaluationException("Key cannot be null when accessing headers or properties");
     }
+
+
+    private ExpressionResult tryParseNumber(String value) {
+        try {
+            return new ExpressionResult(Integer.parseInt(value));
+        } catch (NumberFormatException e1) {
+            try {
+                return new ExpressionResult(Long.parseLong(value));
+            } catch (NumberFormatException e2) {
+                try {
+                    Double.parseDouble(value);
+                    // if double stored as big decimal, for accurate calculations
+                    return new ExpressionResult(new BigDecimal(value));
+                } catch (NumberFormatException e3) {
+                    return new ExpressionResult(value);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/PredefinedFunctionNode.java b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/PredefinedFunctionNode.java
index 60b8a5b0ac..03855c3dc6 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/PredefinedFunctionNode.java
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/java/org/apache/synapse/util/synapse/expression/ast/PredefinedFunctionNode.java
@@ -529,8 +529,12 @@ private ExpressionResult handleBase64EncodeFunction(ExpressionResult source, Exp
     private ExpressionResult handleUrlEncodeFunction(ExpressionResult source, ExpressionResult argument1) {
         if (source.isString() && argument1.isString()) {
             try {
-                return new ExpressionResult(URLEncoder.encode(source.asString(), ExpressionUtils.getCharset(
-                        argument1.asString())).replace("+", "%20").replace("*", "%2A"));
+                String result = URLEncoder.encode(source.asString(), ExpressionUtils.getCharset(argument1.asString()));
+                if (argument1.asString().equals("UTF-8")) {
+                    return new ExpressionResult(result.replace("+", "%20").replace("*", "%2A"));
+                } else {
+                    return new ExpressionResult(result);
+                }
             } catch (UnsupportedCharsetException e) {
                 throw new EvaluationException("Invalid charset provided for urlEncode function. Charset: "
                         + argument1.asString());