diff --git a/openflexure_microscope/utilities.py b/openflexure_microscope/utilities.py
index 07b2426e..2e8f6a6b 100644
--- a/openflexure_microscope/utilities.py
+++ b/openflexure_microscope/utilities.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def set_properties(obj, **kwargs):
             setattr(obj, k, v)
 
 
-def axes_to_array(coordinate_dictionary, axis_keys=('x', 'y', 'z'), base_array=None):
+def axes_to_array(coordinate_dictionary, axis_keys=('x', 'y', 'z'), base_array=None, asint=True):
     """Takes key-value pairs of a JSON value, and maps onto an array"""
     # If no base array is given
     if not base_array:
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def axes_to_array(coordinate_dictionary, axis_keys=('x', 'y', 'z'), base_array=N
     # Do the mapping
     for axis, key in enumerate(axis_keys):
         if key in coordinate_dictionary:
-            base_array[axis] = coordinate_dictionary[key]
+            base_array[axis] = int(coordinate_dictionary[key]) if asint else coordinate_dictionary[key]
 
     return base_array