diff --git a/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_var_base.py b/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_var_base.py
index b0c9dda7a30987e71a648a691441f238572e2873..1fea1935473a752632f5594af29649366f6e5da8 100644
--- a/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_var_base.py
+++ b/python/paddle/fluid/tests/unittests/test_var_base.py
@@ -76,6 +76,11 @@ class TestVarBase(unittest.TestCase):
                     y = x.cuda(blocking=True)
                     self.assertEqual(y.place.__repr__(), "CUDAPlace(0)")
 
+                # support 'dtype' is core.VarType
+                x = paddle.rand((2, 2))
+                y = paddle.to_tensor([2, 2], dtype=x.dtype)
+                self.assertEqual(y.dtype, core.VarDesc.VarType.FP32)
+
                 # set_default_dtype take effect on complex
                 x = paddle.to_tensor(1 + 2j, place=place, stop_gradient=False)
                 self.assertTrue(np.array_equal(x.numpy(), [1 + 2j]))
diff --git a/python/paddle/tensor/creation.py b/python/paddle/tensor/creation.py
index 056a0226723ca1797e1ed8bff99733bba61d84a8..69ee2962303831b1123631b9eccb151092fc71ea 100644
--- a/python/paddle/tensor/creation.py
+++ b/python/paddle/tensor/creation.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def to_tensor(data, dtype=None, place=None, stop_gradient=True):
             data = data.astype(default_type)
 
     if dtype and convert_dtype(dtype) != data.dtype:
-        data = data.astype(dtype)
+        data = data.astype(convert_dtype(dtype))
 
     return paddle.Tensor(
         value=data,