diff --git a/cinema_python/adaptors/paraview/pv_introspect.py b/cinema_python/adaptors/paraview/pv_introspect.py
index 9488b302ea99cb9ce17e9c81858d6c907ec413ac..380c8b810007f4a14723e796b5e0f86aaae25265 100644
--- a/cinema_python/adaptors/paraview/pv_introspect.py
+++ b/cinema_python/adaptors/paraview/pv_introspect.py
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ def make_cinema_store(proxies,
                 "color"+proxy_name, 'vis', [proxy_name])
 
     fnp = ""
-    if forcetime is not False:
+    if forcetime:
         # time specified, use it, being careful to append if already a list
         tvalues.append(forcetime)
         tprop = store.make_parameter('time', tvalues)
@@ -689,11 +689,7 @@ def project_to_at(eye, fp, cr):
     return at
 
 
-def explore(cs,
-            proxies,
-            iSave=True,
-            currentTime=None,
-            userDefined={},
+def explore(cs, proxies, iSave=True, currentTime=None, userDefined={},
             specLevel="A",
             camType='phi-theta',
             tracking={},
@@ -738,7 +734,7 @@ def explore(cs,
 
     ctime_float = None
     if currentTime:
-        ctime_float = currentTime['time']
+        ctime_float = float(currentTime['time'])
 
     # hide all annotations
     view_proxy.OrientationAxesVisibility = 0