diff --git a/src/attributes.js b/src/attributes.js
index c239dd7f..5396a90e 100644
--- a/src/attributes.js
+++ b/src/attributes.js
@@ -165,7 +165,13 @@ jQuery.fn.extend({
 					return ret;
 				}
 
-				return (elem.value || "").replace(rreturn, "");
+				ret = elem.value;
+
+				return typeof ret === "string" ? 
+					// handle most common string cases
+					ret.replace(rreturn, "") : 
+					// handle cases where value is null/undef or number
+					ret == null ? "" : ret;
 			}
 
 			return undefined;
diff --git a/test/unit/attributes.js b/test/unit/attributes.js
index c4ed7d30..56c398e5 100644
--- a/test/unit/attributes.js
+++ b/test/unit/attributes.js
@@ -611,6 +611,30 @@ test("val()", function() {
 	equals( jQuery("<option/>").val("test").attr("value"), "test", "Setting value sets the value attribute" );
 });
 
+if ( "value" in document.createElement("meter") && 
+			"value" in document.createElement("progress") ) {
+
+	test("val() respects numbers without exception (Bug #9319)", function() {
+
+		expect(4);
+
+		var $meter = jQuery("<meter min='0' max='10' value='5.6'></meter>"),
+			$progress = jQuery("<progress max='10' value='1.5'></progress>");
+
+		try {
+			equal( typeof $meter.val(), "number", "meter, returns a number and does not throw exception" );
+			equal( $meter.val(), $meter[0].value, "meter, api matches host and does not throw exception" );
+
+			equal( typeof $progress.val(), "number", "progress, returns a number and does not throw exception" );
+			equal( $progress.val(), $progress[0].value, "progress, api matches host and does not throw exception" );
+
+		} catch(e) {}
+
+		$meter.remove();
+		$progress.remove();
+	});
+}
+
 var testVal = function(valueObj) {
 	expect(8);