diff --git a/galois/_polys/_poly.py b/galois/_polys/_poly.py
index 182703a7d..3d7c9bf76 100644
--- a/galois/_polys/_poly.py
+++ b/galois/_polys/_poly.py
@@ -1513,7 +1513,7 @@ def degree(self) -> int:
                 if self._nonzero_degrees.size == 0:
                     self._degree = 0
                 else:
-                    self._degree = max(self._nonzero_degrees)
+                    self._degree = int(max(self._nonzero_degrees))
             elif hasattr(self, "_integer"):
                 if self._integer == 0:
                     self._degree = 0