diff --git a/libstempo/libstempo.pyx b/libstempo/libstempo.pyx
index d90fc42..f95da2f 100644
--- a/libstempo/libstempo.pyx
+++ b/libstempo/libstempo.pyx
@@ -895,7 +895,7 @@ cdef class tempopulsar:
             else:
                 # check if using an astropy time object
                 try:
-                    toamjd = numpy.atleast_1d(toas.mjd).astype(NP>_LONG_DOUBLE_FORMAT)  # make sure in MJD
+                    toamjd = numpy.atleast_1d(toas.mjd).astype(NP_LONG_DOUBLE_FORMAT)  # make sure in MJD
                 except Exception as e:
                     raise TypeError("Input TOAs are not of an allowed type: {}".format(e))