diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
index 111e9f6fc..7a47f737b 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur-private.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 typedef struct _ClutterBlur ClutterBlur;
 
 ClutterBlur * clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture *texture,
-                                float        sigma);
+                                float        radius);
 
 void clutter_blur_apply (ClutterBlur *blur);
 
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
index 2617e47c4..88dbc7809 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-blur.c
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ clear_blur_pass (BlurPass *pass)
  */
 ClutterBlur *
 clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture *texture,
-                  float        sigma)
+                  float        radius)
 {
   ClutterBlur *blur;
   unsigned int height;
@@ -351,17 +351,19 @@ clutter_blur_new (CoglTexture *texture,
   BlurPass *vpass;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (texture != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (sigma >= 0.0, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (radius >= 0.0, NULL);
 
   width = cogl_texture_get_width (texture);
   height = cogl_texture_get_height (texture);
 
   blur = g_new0 (ClutterBlur, 1);
-  blur->sigma = sigma;
+  blur->sigma = radius / 2.0;
   blur->source_texture = g_object_ref (texture);
-  blur->downscale_factor = calculate_downscale_factor (width, height, sigma);
+  blur->downscale_factor = calculate_downscale_factor (width,
+                                                       height,
+                                                       blur->sigma);
 
-  if (G_APPROX_VALUE (sigma, 0.0, FLT_EPSILON))
+  if (G_APPROX_VALUE (blur->sigma, 0.0, FLT_EPSILON))
     goto out;
 
   vpass = &blur->pass[VERTICAL];
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
index acbdfbef8..24b5f8bec 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.c
@@ -1492,7 +1492,7 @@ struct _ClutterBlurNode
   ClutterLayerNode parent_instance;
 
   ClutterBlur *blur;
-  unsigned int sigma;
+  unsigned int radius;
 };
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (ClutterBlurNode, clutter_blur_node, CLUTTER_TYPE_LAYER_NODE)
@@ -1539,7 +1539,7 @@ clutter_blur_node_init (ClutterBlurNode *blur_node)
  * clutter_blur_node_new:
  * @width width of the blur layer
  * @height: height of the blur layer
- * @sigma: sigma value of the blur
+ * @radius: radius (in pixels) of the blur
  *
  * Creates a new #ClutterBlurNode.
  *
@@ -1552,7 +1552,7 @@ clutter_blur_node_init (ClutterBlurNode *blur_node)
 ClutterPaintNode *
 clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
                        unsigned int height,
-                       float        sigma)
+                       float        radius)
 {
   g_autoptr (CoglOffscreen) offscreen = NULL;
   g_autoptr (GError) error = NULL;
@@ -1562,10 +1562,10 @@ clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
   CoglTexture *texture;
   ClutterBlur *blur;
 
-  g_return_val_if_fail (sigma >= 0.0, NULL);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (radius >= 0.0, NULL);
 
   blur_node = _clutter_paint_node_create (CLUTTER_TYPE_BLUR_NODE);
-  blur_node->sigma = sigma;
+  blur_node->radius = radius;
   context = clutter_backend_get_cogl_context (clutter_get_default_backend ());
   texture = cogl_texture_2d_new_with_size (context, width, height);
 
@@ -1580,7 +1580,7 @@ clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
       goto out;
     }
 
-  blur = clutter_blur_new (texture, sigma);
+  blur = clutter_blur_new (texture, radius);
   blur_node->blur = blur;
 
   if (!blur)
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
index c63d85616..7e737f7c4 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-paint-nodes.h
@@ -194,6 +194,6 @@ GType clutter_blur_node_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 CLUTTER_EXPORT
 ClutterPaintNode * clutter_blur_node_new (unsigned int width,
                                           unsigned int height,
-                                          float        sigma);
+                                          float        radius);
 
 G_END_DECLS