diff --git a/django/template/defaultfilters.py b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
index 4530adf7c5..9eabb6dd60 100644
--- a/django/template/defaultfilters.py
+++ b/django/template/defaultfilters.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def floatformat(text, arg=-1):
         # Set the precision high enough to avoid an exception, see #15789.
         tupl = d.as_tuple()
         units = len(tupl[1]) - tupl[2]
-        prec = abs(arg) + units + 1
+        prec = abs(p) + units + 1
 
         # Avoid conversion to scientific notation by accessing `sign`, `digits`
         # and `exponent` from `Decimal.as_tuple()` directly.
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
index 5288e50177..5e8c8f1538 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/defaultfilters/tests.py
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ class DefaultFiltersTests(TestCase):
         try:
             self.assertEqual(floatformat(1.2345, 2), u'1.23')
             self.assertEqual(floatformat(15.2042, -3), u'15.204')
+            self.assertEqual(floatformat(1.2345, '2'), u'1.23')
+            self.assertEqual(floatformat(15.2042, '-3'), u'15.204')
             self.assertEqual(floatformat(decimal.Decimal('1.2345'), 2), u'1.23')
             self.assertEqual(floatformat(decimal.Decimal('15.2042'), -3), u'15.204')
         finally: