Index: library/Zend/Config.php
===================================================================
--- library/Zend/Config.php	(revision 7117)
+++ library/Zend/Config.php	(working copy)
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@
     protected $_allowModifications;
 
     /**
+     * Check and cast types, or not
+     *
+     * @var boolean
+     */
+    protected $_detectTypes;
+
+    /**
      * Iteration index
      *
      * @var integer
@@ -92,9 +99,10 @@
      * @param boolean $allowModifications
      * @throws Zend_Config_Exception
      */
-    public function __construct($array, $allowModifications = false)
+    public function __construct($array, $allowModifications = false, $detectTypes = false)
     {
         $this->_allowModifications = (boolean) $allowModifications;
+        $this->_detectTypes = (boolean) $detectTypes;
         $this->_loadedSection = null;
         $this->_index = 0;
         $this->_data = array();
@@ -120,6 +128,7 @@
         $result = $default;
         if (array_key_exists($name, $this->_data)) {
             $result = $this->_data[$name];
+            $result = $this->_detectTypes($result);
         }
         return $result;
     }
@@ -169,7 +178,7 @@
             if ($value instanceof Zend_Config) {
                 $array[$key] = $value->toArray();
             } else {
-                $array[$key] = $value;
+                $array[$key] = $this->_detectTypes($value);
             }
         }
         return $array;
@@ -340,4 +349,33 @@
         $this->_extends[$extendingSection] = $extendedSection;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks $value in being one of the elemental data types and casts it accordingly.
+     *
+     * @param string $value
+     * @return mixed
+     */
+    protected function _detectTypes($value)
+    {
+        if ($this->_detectTypes and !$value instanceof Zend_Config) {
+            switch(true) {
+                case strtolower($value) === "true":
+                    $value = (bool) true;
+                    break;
+
+                case strtolower($value) === "false":
+                    $value = (bool) false;
+                    break;
+
+                case $value === (string)(int) $value:
+                    $value = (int) $value;
+                    break;
+
+                case $value === (string)(float) $value:
+                    $value = (float) $value;
+                    break;
+            }
+        }
+        return $value;
+    }
 }