diff --git a/python/src/ops.cpp b/python/src/ops.cpp
index 17f7ed897..82c141e31 100644
--- a/python/src/ops.cpp
+++ b/python/src/ops.cpp
@@ -2527,7 +2527,7 @@ void init_ops(nb::module_& m) {
       },
       nb::arg(),
       "kth"_a,
-      "axis"_a = -1,
+      "axis"_a.none() = -1,
       nb::kw_only(),
       "stream"_a = nb::none(),
       nb::sig(