diff --git a/src/finn/util/basic.py b/src/finn/util/basic.py
index 9589cb4d199e63dbd8235c204a4c09c372912dfa..809b34157ee4b7890a4155bd09f33dcc85c6ceec 100644
--- a/src/finn/util/basic.py
+++ b/src/finn/util/basic.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def get_finn_root():
 def get_execution_error_thresh():
     "Return the max error that is allowed for rounding in FINN execution."
     try:
-        return int(os.environ["ERROR_THRESH"])
+        return float(os.environ["ERROR_THRESH"])
     except KeyError:
         return 1e-2