diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
index ca7013a29..fcb29aa8e 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.cpp
@@ -3302,9 +3302,10 @@ int multiSlsDetector::exitServer()
 }
 
 /* utility function to check a range of return values*/
-int multiSlsDetector::minusOneIfDifferent(const std::vector<int>& return_values)
+template<typename T>
+T multiSlsDetector::minusOneIfDifferent(const std::vector<T>& return_values)
 {
-    int ret = -100;
+    T ret = -100;
     for (int idet = 0; idet < thisMultiDetector->numberOfDetectors; ++idet) {
         if (detectors[idet]) {
             if (ret == -100)
diff --git a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
index 75901676c..b4f5d6024 100644
--- a/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
+++ b/slsDetectorSoftware/multiSlsDetector/multiSlsDetector.h
@@ -1050,7 +1050,9 @@ class multiSlsDetector  : public slsDetectorUtils {
   int parallelCallDetectorMember(int (slsDetector::*somefunc)());
   int parallelCallDetectorMember(int (slsDetector::*somefunc)(int), int value); //Should probably be templated
   int parallelCallDetectorMember(int (slsDetector::*somefunc)(int, int, int), int v0, int v1, int v2); //Should probably be templated
-  int minusOneIfDifferent(const std::vector<int>&);
+  
+  template<typename T>
+  T minusOneIfDifferent(const std::vector<T>&);
 
   /** returns the detector trimbit/settings directory  \sa sharedSlsDetector */
   std::string getSettingsDir();