diff --git a/cpp/src/distance/detail/sparse/lp_distance.cuh b/cpp/src/distance/detail/sparse/lp_distance.cuh
index 38025329b9..f396b647ef 100644
--- a/cpp/src/distance/detail/sparse/lp_distance.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/distance/detail/sparse/lp_distance.cuh
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class jensen_shannon_unexpanded_distances_t : public distances_t<value_t> {
     raft::linalg::map(
       config_->handle,
       raft::make_device_vector_view<value_t, int64_t>(out_dists, n),
-      [=] __device__(value_t input) { return raft::sqrt(0.5 * input); },
+      [=] __device__(value_t input) { return raft::sqrt(value_t(0.5) * input); },
       raft::make_const_mdspan(raft::make_device_vector_view<const value_t, int64_t>(out_dists, n)));
   }