diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters/validation.py b/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters/validation.py
index cf02d86c56b5..6334fd95f8b8 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters/validation.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tools/parameters/validation.py
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ def __init__(self, message, range_min, range_max, exclude_min=False, exclude_max
             op1 = "<"
         if self.exclude_max:
             op2 = "<"
-        expression = f"float('{self.min}') {op1} value {op2} float('{self.max}')"
+        expression = f"float('{self.min}') {op1} float(value) {op2} float('{self.max}')"
         if message is None:
             message = f"Value ('%s') must {'not ' if negate == 'true' else ''}fulfill {expression}"
         super().__init__(message, expression, negate)
diff --git a/test/unit/app/tools/test_parameter_validation.py b/test/unit/app/tools/test_parameter_validation.py
index bddb0e325309..8442f435a083 100644
--- a/test/unit/app/tools/test_parameter_validation.py
+++ b/test/unit/app/tools/test_parameter_validation.py
@@ -217,11 +217,11 @@ def test_InRangeValidator(self):
         )
         p.validate(10)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(
-            ValueError, r"Parameter blah: Value \('15'\) must not fulfill float\('10'\) < value <= float\('20'\)"
+            ValueError, r"Parameter blah: Value \('15'\) must not fulfill float\('10'\) < float(value) <= float\('20'\)"
         ):
             p.validate(15)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(
-            ValueError, r"Parameter blah: Value \('20'\) must not fulfill float\('10'\) < value <= float\('20'\)"
+            ValueError, r"Parameter blah: Value \('20'\) must not fulfill float\('10'\) < float(value) <= float\('20'\)"
         ):
             p.validate(20)
         p.validate(21)