diff --git a/sarracenia/flow/__init__.py b/sarracenia/flow/__init__.py
index 1b704973a..4247adf97 100644
--- a/sarracenia/flow/__init__.py
+++ b/sarracenia/flow/__init__.py
@@ -1454,7 +1454,8 @@ def compute_local_checksum(self, msg, lstat=None) -> None:
 
                 if s:
                     metadata_cached_mtime = x.get('mtime')
-                    if (lstat and (metadata_cached_mtime >= lstat.st_mtime)):
+                    lstat_mtime = sarracenia.timeflt2str(lstat.st_mtime)
+                    if (lstat and (metadata_cached_mtime >= lstat_mtime)):
                         # file has not been modified since checksum value was stored.
 
                         if (( 'identity' in msg ) and ( 'method' in msg['identity']  ) and \