diff --git a/meshroom/core/desc.py b/meshroom/core/desc.py
index f74b7a03181..38f79576913 100755
--- a/meshroom/core/desc.py
+++ b/meshroom/core/desc.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 import os
 import psutil
 import ast
+import distutils
+
 
 class Attribute(BaseObject):
     """
@@ -191,7 +193,8 @@ def __init__(self, name, label, description, value, uid, group='allParams', adva
 
     def validateValue(self, value):
         try:
-            return bool(int(value))  # int cast is useful to handle string values ('0', '1')
+            # use distutils.util.strtobool to handle (1/0, true/false, on/off, y/n)
+            return bool(distutils.util.strtobool(value))
         except:
             raise ValueError('BoolParam only supports bool value (param:{}, value:{}, type:{})'.format(self.name, value, type(value)))