diff --git a/misc/sexp.ml b/misc/sexp.ml
index 7657c777..d58d99d9 100644
--- a/misc/sexp.ml
+++ b/misc/sexp.ml
@@ -608,6 +608,7 @@ module Traverse = struct
 
   let to_int e = _try_atom e int_of_string
   let to_bool e = _try_atom e bool_of_string
+  let to_float e = _try_atom e float_of_string
   let to_string e = _try_atom e (fun x->x)
 
   let to_pair e = match e with
diff --git a/misc/sexp.mli b/misc/sexp.mli
index e7f2ec0b..2d20e590 100644
--- a/misc/sexp.mli
+++ b/misc/sexp.mli
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ module Traverse : sig
 
   val to_bool : t -> bool option
 
+  val to_float : t -> float option
+
   val to_list : t -> t list option
 
   val to_pair : t -> (t * t) option