diff --git a/visidata/utils.py b/visidata/utils.py
index a38248dbe..b243c0402 100644
--- a/visidata/utils.py
+++ b/visidata/utils.py
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ def setattrdeep(obj, attr, val, getter=getattr, setter=setattr):
 
 
 def getitemdeep(obj, k, *default):
+    if not isinstance(k, str):
+        return obj[k]
     return getattrdeep(obj, k, *default, getter=getitem)
 
 def setitemdeep(obj, k, val):