diff --git a/benchmark/potrf.c b/benchmark/potrf.c
index 8808203a5..674d6149b 100644
--- a/benchmark/potrf.c
+++ b/benchmark/potrf.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
 
   if ((p = getenv("OPENBLAS_TEST"))) btest=*p;
 
-  if ((p = getenv("OPENBLAS_LOOPS"))) loops=*p;
+  if ((p = getenv("OPENBLAS_LOOPS"))) loops=atoi(p);
 
   fprintf(stderr, "From : %3d  To : %3d Step = %3d Uplo = %c\n", from, to, step,*uplo[uplos]);