diff --git a/library/Zend/Validator/Step.php b/library/Zend/Validator/Step.php
index 6478ce98c9e..a6d3b14c2f0 100644
--- a/library/Zend/Validator/Step.php
+++ b/library/Zend/Validator/Step.php
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public function getBaseValue()
      */
     public function setStep($step)
     {
-        $this->step = $step;
+        $this->step = (float) $step;
         return $this;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/ZendTest/Validator/StepTest.php b/tests/ZendTest/Validator/StepTest.php
index 6ea70358820..e349e5826a5 100644
--- a/tests/ZendTest/Validator/StepTest.php
+++ b/tests/ZendTest/Validator/StepTest.php
@@ -190,4 +190,18 @@ public function testEqualsMessageTemplates()
         $this->assertAttributeEquals($validator->getOption('messageTemplates'),
                                      'messageTemplates', $validator);
     }
+
+    public function testSetStepFloat()
+    {
+        $step = 0.01;
+        $this->_validator->setStep($step);
+        $this->assertAttributeSame($step, 'step', $this->_validator);
+    }
+
+    public function testSetStepString()
+    {
+        $step = '0.01';
+        $this->_validator->setStep($step);
+        $this->assertAttributeSame((float) $step, 'step', $this->_validator);
+    }
 }