diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
index feb288f31..cf7cfd2f5 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
 typedef struct _ClutterBlur ClutterBlur;
 
-ClutterBlur * clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture  *texture,
-                                unsigned int  sigma);
+ClutterBlur * clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture *texture,
+                                float        sigma);
 
 void clutter_blur_apply (ClutterBlur *blur);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
index c60451d0a..9a8153e8f 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ typedef struct
 struct _ClutterBlur
 {
   CoglTexture *source_texture;
-  unsigned int sigma;
+  float sigma;
   float downscale_factor;
 
   BlurPass pass[2];
@@ -341,8 +341,8 @@ clear_blur_pass (BlurPass *pass)
  * Returns: (transfer full) (nullable): A newly created #ClutterBlur
  */
 ClutterBlur *
-clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture  *texture,
-                  unsigned int  sigma)
+clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture *texture,
+                  float        sigma)
 {
   ClutterBlur *blur;
   unsigned int height;
@@ -350,6 +350,9 @@ clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture  *texture,
   BlurPass *hpass;
   BlurPass *vpass;
 
+  g_return_val_if_fail (texture != NULL, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (sigma >= 0.0, NULL);
+
   width = cogl_texture_get_width (texture);
   height = cogl_texture_get_height (texture);
 
@@ -358,7 +361,7 @@ clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture  *texture,
   blur->source_texture = cogl_object_ref (texture);
   blur->downscale_factor = calculate_downscale_factor (width, height, sigma);
 
-  if (sigma == 0)
+  if (G_APPROX_VALUE (sigma, 0.0, FLT_EPSILON))
     goto out;
 
   vpass = &blur->pass[VERTICAL];
@@ -385,7 +388,7 @@ out:
 void
 clutter_blur_apply (ClutterBlur *blur)
 {
-  if (blur->sigma == 0)
+  if (G_APPROX_VALUE (blur->sigma, 0.0, FLT_EPSILON))
     return;
 
   apply_blur_pass (&blur->pass[VERTICAL]);
@@ -404,7 +407,7 @@ clutter_blur_apply (ClutterBlur *blur)
 CoglTexture *
 clutter_blur_get_texture (ClutterBlur *blur)
 {
-  if (blur->sigma == 0)
+  if (G_APPROX_VALUE (blur->sigma, 0.0, FLT_EPSILON))
     return blur->source_texture;
   else
     return blur->pass[HORIZONTAL].texture;
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
index 9da5b450f..3fb7d384a 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
@@ -1915,7 +1915,7 @@ clutter_blur_node_init (ClutterBlurNode *blur_node)
 ClutterPaintNode *
 clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
                        unsigned int height,
-                       unsigned int sigma)
+                       float        sigma)
 {
   g_autoptr (CoglOffscreen) offscreen = NULL;
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
@@ -1926,6 +1926,8 @@ clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
   CoglTexture *texture;
   ClutterBlur *blur;
 
+  g_return_val_if_fail (sigma >= 0.0, NULL);
+
   blur_node = _clutter_paint_node_create (CLUTTER_TYPE_BLUR_NODE);
   blur_node->sigma = sigma;
   context = clutter_backend_get_cogl_context (clutter_get_default_backend ());
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
index 8c01dd7d2..7f0d12857 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ GType clutter_blur_node_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterPaintNode * clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
                                           unsigned int height,
-                                          unsigned int sigma);
+                                          float        sigma);
 
 G_END_DECLS