diff --git a/src/packages/core/src/server.ts b/src/packages/core/src/server.ts
index 67542c11b4..9c2a7139c3 100644
--- a/src/packages/core/src/server.ts
+++ b/src/packages/core/src/server.ts
@@ -185,6 +185,23 @@ export class Server<
       host = null;
     }
     const callbackIsFunction = typeof callback === "function";
+
+    // Method signature specifies port: number, but we parse a string if provided
+    // inspiration taken from nodejs internal port validator
+    // https://github.com/nodejs/node/blob/8c4b8b201ada6b76d5306c9c7f352e45087fb4a9/lib/internal/validators.js#L208-L219
+    if ((typeof port !== 'number' && typeof port !== 'string') ||
+      (typeof port === 'string' && (<string>port).trim().length === 0) ||
+      +port !== (+port >>> 0) ||
+      port > 0xFFFF ||
+      port === 0) {
+      const err = new Error(`Port should be >= 0 and < 65536. Received ${port}.`);
+
+      return callbackIsFunction
+        ? process.nextTick(callback!, err)
+        : Promise.reject(err);
+    }
+    const portNumber = +port;
+
     const status = this.#status;
     if (status === ServerStatus.closing) {
       // if closing
@@ -195,7 +212,7 @@ export class Server<
     } else if ((status & ServerStatus.openingOrOpen) !== 0) {
       // if opening or open
       const err = new Error(
-        `Server is already open, or is opening, on port: ${port}.`
+        `Server is already open, or is opening, on port: ${portNumber}.`
       );
       return callbackIsFunction
         ? process.nextTick(callback!, err)
@@ -214,11 +231,11 @@ export class Server<
           host
             ? (this.#app as any).listen(
               host,
-              port,
+              portNumber,
               LIBUS_LISTEN_EXCLUSIVE_PORT,
               resolve
             )
-            : this.#app.listen(port, LIBUS_LISTEN_EXCLUSIVE_PORT, resolve);
+            : this.#app.listen(portNumber, LIBUS_LISTEN_EXCLUSIVE_PORT, resolve);
         }
       ).then(listenSocket => {
         if (listenSocket) {
@@ -228,7 +245,7 @@ export class Server<
           this.#status = ServerStatus.closed;
           const err = new Error(
             `listen EADDRINUSE: address already in use ${host || DEFAULT_HOST
-            }:${port}.`
+            }:${portNumber}.`
           );
           throw err;
         }
diff --git a/src/packages/core/tests/server.test.ts b/src/packages/core/tests/server.test.ts
index 86c3f97713..a75923b2c5 100644
--- a/src/packages/core/tests/server.test.ts
+++ b/src/packages/core/tests/server.test.ts
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ describe("server", () => {
   (process.env.GITHUB_ACTION ? describe : describe.skip)("listen", function () {
     /**
      * Sends a post request to the server and returns the response.
-     * @param address 
-     * @param port 
-     * @param json 
-     * @returns 
+     * @param address
+     * @param port
+     * @param json
+     * @returns
      */
     function post(host: string, port: number, json: any) {
       const data = JSON.stringify(json);
@@ -299,6 +299,47 @@ describe("server", () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it("accepts port as number type or binary, octal, decimal or hexadecimal string", async () => {
+      const validPorts = [
+        port, `0b${port.toString(2)}`,
+        `0o${port.toString(8)}`, port.toString(10),
+        `0x${port.toString(16)}`
+      ];
+
+      for (const specificPort of validPorts) {
+        s = Ganache.server(defaultOptions);
+        await s.listen(<any>specificPort);
+
+        try {
+          const req = request.post(`http://localhost:${+specificPort}`);
+          await req.send(jsonRpcJson);
+        } finally {
+          await teardown();
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
+    it("fails with invalid ports", async () => {
+      const invalidPorts = [
+        -1, 'a', {}, [], false, true,
+        0xFFFF + 1, Infinity, -Infinity, NaN,
+        undefined, null, '', ' ', 1.1, '0x',
+        '-0x1', '-0o1', '-0b1', '0o', '0b', 0
+      ];
+
+      for (const specificPort of invalidPorts) {
+        s = Ganache.server(defaultOptions);
+
+        try {
+          await assert.rejects(s.listen(<any>specificPort), {
+            message: `Port should be >= 0 and < 65536. Received ${specificPort}.`
+          });
+        } finally {
+          await teardown();
+        }
+      }
+    });
+
     it("fails to `.listen()` twice, Promise", async () => {
       await setup();
       try {