It is known that topological solutions in gauge field theories can carry fermionic zero energy modes. In this case the presence of the zero-energy modes induces a fermionic charge on the background solution. This induced charge can have non-integer values. We have explored semi-classical solutions which are only metastable but can nevertheless carry fermionic zero-energy modes. These modes in turn can induce fractional fermion number. We show that as a result, a meta-stable configuration of bosonic fields in fact becomes stable. The result is shown to hold even when the coupled fermions are majorana and do not themselves carry a conserved fermion number.