diff --git a/candle-pyo3/py_src/candle/testing/__init__.py b/candle-pyo3/py_src/candle/testing/__init__.py
index a11b56e252..7b2dec9ec3 100644
--- a/candle-pyo3/py_src/candle/testing/__init__.py
+++ b/candle-pyo3/py_src/candle/testing/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 from candle import Tensor
 
 
+_UNSIGNED_DTYPES = set([str(candle.u8), str(candle.u32)])
+
+
 def _assert_tensor_metadata(
     actual: Tensor,
     expected: Tensor,
@@ -56,11 +59,12 @@ def assert_almost_equal(
     _assert_tensor_metadata(actual, expected, check_device, check_dtype, check_layout, check_stride)
 
     # Secure against overflow of u32 and u8 tensors
-    diff = (
-        (actual - expected).abs()
-        if actual.sum_all().values() > expected.sum_all().values()
-        else (expected - actual).abs()
-    )
+    if str(actual.dtype) in _UNSIGNED_DTYPES or str(expected.dtype) in _UNSIGNED_DTYPES:
+        actual = actual.to(candle.i64)
+        expected = expected.to(candle.i64)
+
+    diff = (actual - expected).abs()
+
     threshold = (expected.abs().to_dtype(candle.f32) * rtol + atol).to(expected)
 
     assert (diff <= threshold).sum_all().values() == actual.nelements, f"Difference between tensors was to great"
diff --git a/candle-pyo3/src/lib.rs b/candle-pyo3/src/lib.rs
index 4b75a6871e..d1045b5bca 100644
--- a/candle-pyo3/src/lib.rs
+++ b/candle-pyo3/src/lib.rs
@@ -148,9 +148,10 @@ macro_rules! pydtype {
         }
     };
 }
+
+pydtype!(i64, |v| v);
 pydtype!(u8, |v| v);
 pydtype!(u32, |v| v);
-pydtype!(i64, |v| v);
 pydtype!(f16, f32::from);
 pydtype!(bf16, f32::from);
 pydtype!(f32, |v| v);
@@ -1576,7 +1577,7 @@ fn candle(py: Python<'_>, m: &PyModule) -> PyResult<()> {
     m.add_class::<PyDType>()?;
     m.add("u8", PyDType(DType::U8))?;
     m.add("u32", PyDType(DType::U32))?;
-    m.add("i16", PyDType(DType::I64))?;
+    m.add("i64", PyDType(DType::I64))?;
     m.add("bf16", PyDType(DType::BF16))?;
     m.add("f16", PyDType(DType::F16))?;
     m.add("f32", PyDType(DType::F32))?;
diff --git a/candle-pyo3/tests/bindings/test_testing.py b/candle-pyo3/tests/bindings/test_testing.py
index 58a2ed1f51..db2fd3f7fa 100644
--- a/candle-pyo3/tests/bindings/test_testing.py
+++ b/candle-pyo3/tests/bindings/test_testing.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", [candle.f32, candle.f64, candle.f16, candle.u32, candle.u8])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", [candle.f32, candle.f64, candle.f16, candle.u32, candle.u8, candle.i64])
 def test_assert_equal_asserts_correctly(dtype: candle.DType):
     a = Tensor([1, 2, 3]).to(dtype)
     b = Tensor([1, 2, 3]).to(dtype)
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ def test_assert_equal_asserts_correctly(dtype: candle.DType):
         assert_equal(a, b + 1)
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", [candle.f32, candle.f64, candle.f16, candle.u32, candle.u8])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", [candle.f32, candle.f64, candle.f16, candle.u32, candle.u8, candle.i64])
 def test_assert_almost_equal_asserts_correctly(dtype: candle.DType):
     a = Tensor([1, 2, 3]).to(dtype)
     b = Tensor([1, 2, 3]).to(dtype)