diff --git a/packages/agoric-cli/src/lib/chain.js b/packages/agoric-cli/src/lib/chain.js
index 494c935a538f..d56eb4036885 100644
--- a/packages/agoric-cli/src/lib/chain.js
+++ b/packages/agoric-cli/src/lib/chain.js
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export const execSwingsetTransaction = (swingsetArgs, opts) => {
   const {
     from,
     fees,
-    gas = ['auto', '1.2'],
+    gas = ['auto', 1.2],
     dryRun = false,
     verbose = true,
     keyring = undefined,