diff --git a/src/init/init-npm.js b/src/init/init-npm.js
index 447637ecbc..046b08e35f 100644
--- a/src/init/init-npm.js
+++ b/src/init/init-npm.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ export default async (dir, lintStyle) => {
       const envTarget = content.env[profile]['application/javascript'].presets.find(x => x[0] === 'env');
       // parseFloat strips the patch version
       // parseFloat('1.3.2') === 1.3
-      envTarget[1].targets.electron = parseFloat(electronPrebuilt.version);
+      envTarget[1].targets.electron = parseFloat(electronPrebuilt.version).toString();
     }
 
     await fs.writeFile(path.join(dir, '.compilerc'), JSON.stringify(content, null, 2), 'utf8');
diff --git a/test/slow/api_spec_slow.js b/test/slow/api_spec_slow.js
index 9b8ac16194..a74aff19b2 100644
--- a/test/slow/api_spec_slow.js
+++ b/test/slow/api_spec_slow.js
@@ -62,10 +62,12 @@ describe(`electron-forge API (with installer=${nodeInstaller})`, () => {
         expect(await fs.pathExists(path.resolve(dir, 'node_modules/electron-forge')), 'electron-forge should exist').to.equal(true);
       });
 
-      it('should have set the .compilerc electron version to be a float', async () => {
+      it('should have set the .compilerc electron version to be a string', async () => {
         expectProjectPathExists('.compilerc', 'file');
         const compilerc = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(path.resolve(dir, '.compilerc')));
-        expect(compilerc.env.development['application/javascript'].presets[0][1].targets.electron).to.be.a('number');
+        const electronVersion = compilerc.env.development['application/javascript'].presets[0][1].targets.electron;
+        expect(electronVersion).to.be.a('string');
+        expect(electronVersion.split('.').length).to.equal(2);
       });
 
       describe('lint', () => {
diff --git a/tmpl/_compilerc b/tmpl/_compilerc
index f1927a1c68..6c1a6c295c 100644
--- a/tmpl/_compilerc
+++ b/tmpl/_compilerc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     "development": {
       "application/javascript": {
         "presets": [
-          ["env", { "targets": { "electron": 1.4 } }],
+          ["env", { "targets": { "electron": "1.4" } }],
           "react"
         ],
         "plugins": ["transform-async-to-generator"],
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "production": {
       "application/javascript": {
         "presets": [
-          ["env", { "targets": { "electron": 1.4 } }],
+          ["env", { "targets": { "electron": "1.4" } }],
           "react"
         ],
         "plugins": ["transform-async-to-generator"],