diff --git a/pyomo/core/base/misc.py b/pyomo/core/base/misc.py
index 07d5392fe79..4603173626b 100644
--- a/pyomo/core/base/misc.py
+++ b/pyomo/core/base/misc.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 import sys
 import types
 
+from pyomo.core.expr import native_numeric_types
+
 logger = logging.getLogger('pyomo.core')
 
 
@@ -111,7 +113,9 @@ class _robust_sort_keyfcn(object):
 
     """
     def __init__(self, key=None):
-        self._typemap = {tuple: (3, tuple.__name__)}
+        # sort all native numeric types as if they were floats
+        self._typemap = {t: (1, float.__name__) for t in native_numeric_types}
+        self._typemap[tuple] =(3, tuple.__name__)
         self._key = key
 
     def __call__(self, val):
diff --git a/pyomo/core/tests/unit/test_base_misc.py b/pyomo/core/tests/unit/test_base_misc.py
index 52d8db7747e..ea0a60d5a83 100644
--- a/pyomo/core/tests/unit/test_base_misc.py
+++ b/pyomo/core/tests/unit/test_base_misc.py
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ def test_sorted_robust(self):
         a = sorted_robust([3, 2, 1])
         self.assertEqual(a, [1, 2, 3])
 
+        # Testthat ints and floats are sorted as "numbers"
+        a = sorted_robust([3, 2.1, 1])
+        self.assertEqual(a, [1, 2.1, 3])
+
         a = sorted_robust([3, '2', 1])
         self.assertEqual(a, [1, 3, '2'])