diff --git a/python/mxnet/image/image.py b/python/mxnet/image/image.py
index 8865ba67f651..799181b172ab 100644
--- a/python/mxnet/image/image.py
+++ b/python/mxnet/image/image.py
@@ -676,8 +676,8 @@ def imrotate(src, rotation_degrees, zoom_in=False, zoom_out=False):
     _, _, h, w = src.shape
 
     # Generate a grid centered at the center of the image
-    hscale = ((h - 1) / 2)
-    wscale = ((w - 1) / 2)
+    hscale = (float(h - 1) / 2)
+    wscale = (float(w - 1) / 2)
     h_matrix = (
         nd.repeat(nd.arange(h, ctx=src.context).astype('float32').reshape(h, 1), w, axis=1) - hscale
     ).expand_dims(axis=0)