diff --git a/gunicorn/dirty/tlv.py b/gunicorn/dirty/tlv.py
index 5682b0c6..e0b1e2f4 100644
--- a/gunicorn/dirty/tlv.py
+++ b/gunicorn/dirty/tlv.py
@@ -113,11 +113,9 @@ class TLVEncoder:
                 )
             parts = [bytes([TYPE_DICT]), struct.pack(">I", len(value))]
             for k, v in value.items():
-                # Keys must be strings
+                # Convert keys to strings (like JSON)
                 if not isinstance(k, str):
-                    raise DirtyProtocolError(
-                        f"Dict keys must be strings, got {type(k).__name__}"
-                    )
+                    k = str(k)
                 parts.append(TLVEncoder.encode(k))
                 parts.append(TLVEncoder.encode(v))
             return b"".join(parts)
diff --git a/tests/test_dirty_tlv.py b/tests/test_dirty_tlv.py
index 87727203..c36b839a 100644
--- a/tests/test_dirty_tlv.py
+++ b/tests/test_dirty_tlv.py
@@ -307,12 +307,13 @@ class TestTLVEncoderDict:
         value, offset = TLVEncoder.decode(encoded, 0)
         assert value == data
 
-    def test_encode_dict_non_string_key(self):
-        """Test that non-string keys raise error."""
-        data = {1: "value"}
-        with pytest.raises(DirtyProtocolError) as exc_info:
-            TLVEncoder.encode(data)
-        assert "keys must be strings" in str(exc_info.value).lower()
+    def test_encode_dict_non_string_key_converted(self):
+        """Test that non-string keys are converted to strings (like JSON)."""
+        data = {1: "value", 2: "other"}
+        encoded = TLVEncoder.encode(data)
+        decoded, _ = TLVEncoder.decode(encoded, 0)
+        # Keys should be converted to strings
+        assert decoded == {"1": "value", "2": "other"}
 
 
 class TestTLVEncoderComplexStructures: