diff --git a/src/pytest_cov/plugin.py b/src/pytest_cov/plugin.py
index ad37e59b..d84a6dbc 100644
--- a/src/pytest_cov/plugin.py
+++ b/src/pytest_cov/plugin.py
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ def validate_report(arg):
     return values
 
 
+def validate_fail_under(num_str):
+    try:
+        return int(num_str)
+    except ValueError:
+        return float(num_str)
+
+
 class StoreReport(argparse.Action):
     def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
         report_type, file = values
@@ -73,7 +80,8 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
     group.addoption('--no-cov', action='store_true', default=False,
                     help='Disable coverage report completely (useful for debuggers). '
                          'Default: False')
-    group.addoption('--cov-fail-under', action='store', metavar='MIN', type=int,
+    group.addoption('--cov-fail-under', action='store', metavar='MIN',
+                    type=validate_fail_under,
                     help='Fail if the total coverage is less than MIN.')
     group.addoption('--cov-append', action='store_true', default=False,
                     help='Do not delete coverage but append to current. '
@@ -266,20 +274,18 @@ def pytest_terminal_summary(self, terminalreporter):
         terminalreporter.write('\n' + self.cov_report.getvalue() + '\n')
 
         if self.options.cov_fail_under is not None and self.options.cov_fail_under > 0:
-            if self.cov_total < self.options.cov_fail_under:
-                markup = {'red': True, 'bold': True}
-                message = (
-                    'FAIL Required test coverage of %d%% not '
-                    'reached. Total coverage: %.2f%%\n'
-                    % (self.options.cov_fail_under, self.cov_total)
-                )
-            else:
-                markup = {'green': True}
-                message = (
-                    'Required test coverage of %d%% '
-                    'reached. Total coverage: %.2f%%\n'
-                    % (self.options.cov_fail_under, self.cov_total)
+            failed = self.cov_total < self.options.cov_fail_under
+            markup = {'red': True, 'bold': True} if failed else {'green': True}
+            message = (
+                '{fail}Required test coverage of {required}% {reached}. '
+                'Total coverage: {actual:.2f}%\n'
+                .format(
+                    required=self.options.cov_fail_under,
+                    actual=self.cov_total,
+                    fail="FAIL " if failed else "",
+                    reached="not reached" if failed else "reached"
                 )
+            )
             terminalreporter.write(message, **markup)
 
     def pytest_runtest_setup(self, item):
diff --git a/tests/test_pytest_cov.py b/tests/test_pytest_cov.py
index 27ad610d..e745c956 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytest_cov.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytest_cov.py
@@ -343,6 +343,34 @@ def test_cov_min_50(testdir):
     ])
 
 
+def test_cov_min_float_value(testdir):
+    script = testdir.makepyfile(SCRIPT)
+
+    result = testdir.runpytest('-v',
+                               '--cov=%s' % script.dirpath(),
+                               '--cov-report=term-missing',
+                               '--cov-fail-under=88.88',
+                               script)
+    assert result.ret == 0
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        'Required test coverage of 88.88% reached. Total coverage: 88.89%'
+    ])
+
+
+def test_cov_min_float_value_not_reached(testdir):
+    script = testdir.makepyfile(SCRIPT)
+
+    result = testdir.runpytest('-v',
+                               '--cov=%s' % script.dirpath(),
+                               '--cov-report=term-missing',
+                               '--cov-fail-under=88.89',
+                               script)
+    assert result.ret == 1
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines([
+        'FAIL Required test coverage of 88.89% not reached. Total coverage: 88.89%'
+    ])
+
+
 def test_cov_min_no_report(testdir):
     script = testdir.makepyfile(SCRIPT)