diff --git a/paddle/framework/attribute.h b/paddle/framework/attribute.h
index d13530e3408a54c7ecab87c3bd9e6288e342f9af..8a7a949346e73ca9d2a813ca2888755a23bb7d7b 100644
--- a/paddle/framework/attribute.h
+++ b/paddle/framework/attribute.h
@@ -120,6 +120,57 @@ class EnumInContainer {
   std::unordered_set<T> container_;
 };
 
+template <typename T>
+struct ExtractAttribute {
+  explicit ExtractAttribute(const std::string& attr_name)
+      : attr_name_(attr_name) {}
+
+  T* operator()(Attribute& attr) const {
+    T* attr_value = nullptr;
+    try {
+      attr_value = &boost::get<T>(attr);
+    } catch (boost::bad_get& bad_get) {
+      PADDLE_THROW("Cannot get attribute %s by type %s, its type is %s",
+                   attr_name_, typeid(T).name(), attr.type().name());
+    }
+    return attr_value;
+  }
+
+  const std::string& attr_name_;
+};
+
+// special handle bool
+// FIXME(yuyang18): Currently we cast bool into int in python binding. It is
+// hard to change the logic there. In another way, we should correct handle
+// if the user set `some_flag=1`.
+//
+// FIX ME anytime if there is a better solution.
+template <>
+struct ExtractAttribute<bool> {
+  explicit ExtractAttribute(const std::string& attr_name)
+      : attr_name_(attr_name) {}
+
+  bool* operator()(Attribute& attr) const {
+    if (attr.type() == typeid(int)) {  // NOLINT
+      int val = boost::get<int>(attr);
+      attr = static_cast<bool>(val);
+    } else if (attr.type() == typeid(float)) {  // NOLINT
+      float val = boost::get<float>(attr);
+      attr = static_cast<bool>(val);
+    }
+    bool* attr_value = nullptr;
+    try {
+      attr_value = &boost::get<bool>(attr);
+    } catch (boost::bad_get& bad_get) {
+      PADDLE_THROW("Cannot get attribute %s by type bool, its type is %s",
+                   attr_name_, attr.type().name());
+    }
+    return attr_value;
+  }
+
+  const std::string& attr_name_;
+};
+
 // check whether a certain attribute fit its limits
 // an attribute can have more than one limits
 template <typename T>
@@ -171,9 +222,10 @@ class TypedAttrChecker {
       attr_map[attr_name_] = val;
     }
     Attribute& attr = attr_map.at(attr_name_);
-    T& attr_value = boost::get<T>(attr);
+    ExtractAttribute<T> extract_attr(attr_name_);
+    T* attr_value = extract_attr(attr);
     for (const auto& checker : value_checkers_) {
-      checker(attr_value);
+      checker(*attr_value);
     }
   }