diff --git a/binarycpython/utils/population_extensions/grid_options_defaults.py b/binarycpython/utils/population_extensions/grid_options_defaults.py
index 99e3630978c65e7b3f2abdd1f9b40b00160a1aaf..acb0cc205aa7e66cad0e1aee78d71b7d35868447 100644
--- a/binarycpython/utils/population_extensions/grid_options_defaults.py
+++ b/binarycpython/utils/population_extensions/grid_options_defaults.py
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ class grid_options_defaults:
             "slurm_jobarrayindex": None,  # slurm job array index (%a)
             "slurm_jobname": "binary_c-python",  # default
             "slurm_partition": None,
-            "slurm_time": 0,  # total time. 0 = infinite time
+            "slurm_time": '0',  # total time. 0 = infinite time
             "slurm_postpone_sbatch": 0,  # if 1: don't submit, just make the script
             "slurm_array": None,  # override for --array, useful for rerunning jobs
             "slurm_array_max_jobs": None,  # override for the max number of concurrent array jobs