diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 4e2c3d1..ed03607 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
 [project]
 name = "rda_python_dsarch"
-version = "1.0.30"
+version = "1.0.31"
 authors = [
   { name="Zaihua Ji", email="zji@ucar.edu" },
 ]
diff --git a/src/rda_python_dsarch/dsarch.py b/src/rda_python_dsarch/dsarch.py
index 347b40e..04ba4cc 100644
--- a/src/rda_python_dsarch/dsarch.py
+++ b/src/rda_python_dsarch/dsarch.py
@@ -2447,7 +2447,7 @@ def set_group_info():
          level = 1
          pindex = record['pindex'] if 'pindex' in record and record['pindex'] else 0
          if pindex:
-            if abs(pindex) >= abs(gindex):
+            if abs(pindex) >= abs(int(gindex)):
                PgLOG.pglog("{}-{}: Parent Group Index {} must be smaller than current Index!".format(dsid, gindex, pindex), PgLOG.LGEREX)
             prec = PgDBI.pgget(tname, 'grptype', "{} AND gindex = {}".format(dcnd, pindex), PgLOG.LGEREX)
             if not prec: