diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
index 3a34fa8675..0650fc73e9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
@@ -70,11 +70,18 @@ def option_recommendation_to_cli_option(add_option, rec):
     switches.append('--'+opt.long_switch)
     attrs = dict(dest=opt.name, help=opt.help,
                      choices=opt.choices, default=rec.recommended_value)
-    if opt.long_switch == 'verbose':
-        attrs['action'] = 'count'
     if isinstance(rec.recommended_value, type(True)):
         attrs['action'] = 'store_false' if rec.recommended_value else \
                           'store_true'
+    else:
+        if isinstance(rec.recommended_value, int):
+            attrs['type'] = 'int'
+        if isinstance(rec.recommended_value, float):
+            attrs['type'] = 'float'
+
+    if opt.long_switch == 'verbose':
+        attrs['action'] = 'count'
+        attrs.pop('type', '')
     add_option(Option(*switches, **attrs))
 
 def add_input_output_options(parser, plumber):