diff --git a/brian2modelfitting/fitter.py b/brian2modelfitting/fitter.py
index ca841cd0..89b41de7 100644
--- a/brian2modelfitting/fitter.py
+++ b/brian2modelfitting/fitter.py
@@ -582,12 +582,13 @@ def refine(self, params=None, t_start=None, normalization=None,
             calculation. If not set, will reuse the `t_start` value from the
             previously used metric.
         normalization : float, optional
-            A normalization factor that will be multiplied with the total error
-            before handing it to the optimization algorithm. Can be useful if
-            the algorithm makes assumptions about the scale of errors, e.g. if
-            the size of steps in the parameter space depends on the absolute
-            value of the error. If not set, will reuse the `normalization` value
-            from the previously used metric.
+            A normalization term that will be used rescale results before
+            handing them to the optimization algorithm. Can be useful if the
+            algorithm makes assumptions about the scale of errors, e.g. if the
+            size of steps in the parameter space depends on the absolute value
+            of the error. The difference between simulated and target traces
+            will be divided by this value. If not set, will reuse the
+            `normalization` value from the previously used metric.
         callback: `str` or `~typing.Callable`
             Either the name of a provided callback function (``text`` or
             ``progressbar``), or a custom feedback function
@@ -635,6 +636,8 @@ def refine(self, params=None, t_start=None, normalization=None,
             t_start = getattr(self.metric, 't_start', 0*second)
         if normalization is None:
             normalization = getattr(self.metric, 'normalization', 1.)
+        else:
+            normalization = 1/normalization
 
         callback_func = callback_setup(callback, None)
 
diff --git a/brian2modelfitting/metric.py b/brian2modelfitting/metric.py
index b317c263..d27b720b 100644
--- a/brian2modelfitting/metric.py
+++ b/brian2modelfitting/metric.py
@@ -125,16 +125,16 @@ def __init__(self, t_start=0*second, normalization=1., **kwds):
         t_start : `~brian2.units.fundamentalunits.Quantity`, optional
             Start of time window considered for calculating the fit error.
         normalization : float, optional
-            A normalization factor that will be used before handing results to
-            the optimization algorithm. Can be useful if the algorithm makes
-            assumptions about the scale of errors, e.g. if the size of steps in
-            the parameter space depends on the absolute value of the error.
-            Trace-based metrics multiply the factor with the traces itself,
-            other metrics use it to scale the total error. Not used by default,
-            i.e. defaults to 1.
+            A normalization term that will be used rescale results before
+            handing them to the optimization algorithm. Can be useful if the
+            algorithm makes assumptions about the scale of errors, e.g. if the
+            size of steps in the parameter space depends on the absolute value
+            of the error. Trace-based metrics divide the traces itself by the
+            value, other metrics use it to scale the total error. Not used by
+            default, i.e. defaults to 1.
         """
         self.t_start = t_start
-        self.normalization = normalization
+        self.normalization = 1/normalization
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def get_features(self, model_results, target_results, dt):
diff --git a/brian2modelfitting/tests/test_metric.py b/brian2modelfitting/tests/test_metric.py
index afe313b5..33bcc69e 100644
--- a/brian2modelfitting/tests/test_metric.py
+++ b/brian2modelfitting/tests/test_metric.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def test_calc_mse():
     out = np.ones((3, 10))
     errors = mse.calc(inp, out, 0.01*ms)
     assert_equal(errors, [0, 1])
-    mse = MSEMetric(normalization=2)
+    mse = MSEMetric(normalization=1/2)
     errors = mse.calc(inp, out, 0.01 * ms)
     # The normalization factor scales the traces, so the squared error scales
     # with the square of the normalization factor