diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.test.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.test.ts
index aaa378a30d4..207bb44e699 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.test.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe('value substring to matcher', () => {
       fields: [
         {
           name: 'temp',
-          values: ['24', null, '10', 'asd', '42', 'ASD'],
+          values: ['24', null, '10', 'asd', '42', 'ASD', [1, 2, 3]],
         },
       ],
     }),
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ describe('value substring to matcher', () => {
     expect(matcher(valueIndex, field, frame, data)).toBeFalsy();
   });
 
+  it('should be a mismatch if the option is an array / non-string and should not cause errors', () => {
+    const frame = data[0];
+    const field = frame.fields[0];
+    const valueIndex = 6;
+
+    expect(matcher(valueIndex, field, frame, data)).toBeFalsy();
+  });
+
   it('should not match when option value is different', () => {
     const frame = data[0];
     const field = frame.fields[0];
diff --git a/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.ts b/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.ts
index df31e054c72..e184e81afec 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-data/src/transformations/matchers/valueMatchers/substringMatchers.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,11 @@ const isSubstringMatcher: ValueMatcherInfo<BasicValueMatcherOptions> = {
     return (valueIndex: number, field: Field) => {
       const value = field.values[valueIndex];
       return (
-        (value && options.value && value.toLowerCase().includes(options.value.toLowerCase())) || options.value === ''
+        (value &&
+          options.value &&
+          typeof value === 'string' &&
+          value.toLowerCase().includes(options.value.toLowerCase())) ||
+        options.value === ''
       );
     };
   },