diff --git a/pisa/core/param.py b/pisa/core/param.py
index 652e1d2d9..823437648 100644
--- a/pisa/core/param.py
+++ b/pisa/core/param.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 from pisa.utils.comparisons import FTYPE_PREC
 from pisa.utils.callable import Funct
 from pisa.utils.resources import find_resource
+from pisa.utils.format import format_num
 
 __all__ = [
     'Param',
@@ -893,7 +894,9 @@ def tabulate(self, tablefmt="plain"):
                 table.append([p.name, p.value, p.nominal_value, p.range, p.prior, p.units, p.is_fixed])
             else:
                 if p.range is not None:
-                    range_fmt = [r.m for r in p.range]
+                    # convert range to float values that will be displayed nicer than e.g. numpy floats.
+                    # sigfigs=6 catches "machine precission errors" when converting single to double precission.
+                    range_fmt = [float(format_num(r.m, sigfigs=6)) for r in p.range]
                 else:
                     range_fmt = None
                 if p.prior is not None:
diff --git a/pisa/utils/config_parser.py b/pisa/utils/config_parser.py
index 926f144da..3454285d4 100644
--- a/pisa/utils/config_parser.py
+++ b/pisa/utils/config_parser.py
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 from uncertainties import ufloat, ufloat_fromstr
 
-from pisa import ureg
+from pisa import ureg, FTYPE
 from pisa.utils.fileio import from_file
 from pisa.utils.format import split
 from pisa.utils.hash import hash_obj
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ def parse_param(config, section, selector, fullname, pname, value):
         if 'sigma' in range_:
             sigma = value.s * value.units # pylint: disable=unused-variable
         range_ = range_.replace('[', 'np.array([')
-        range_ = range_.replace(']', '])')
+        range_ = range_.replace(']', '], dtype=FTYPE)') #range should have pisa FTYPE
         # Strip out uncertainties from value itself (as we will rely on the
         # prior from here on out)
         kwargs['range'] = eval(range_).to(value.units) # pylint: disable=eval-used