diff --git a/flepimop/gempyor_pkg/src/gempyor/seeding_ic.py b/flepimop/gempyor_pkg/src/gempyor/seeding_ic.py
index 00aa942e7..b212c8ee8 100644
--- a/flepimop/gempyor_pkg/src/gempyor/seeding_ic.py
+++ b/flepimop/gempyor_pkg/src/gempyor/seeding_ic.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def draw_ic(self, sim_id: int, setup) -> np.ndarray:
                                     f"Initial Conditions: Could not set compartment {comp_name} (id: {comp_idx}) in node {pl} (id: {pl_idx}). The data from the init file is {states_pl}. \n \
                                                  Use 'allow_missing_compartments' to default to 0 for compartments without initial conditions"
                                 )
-                        if "rest" in ic_df_compartment_val:
+                        if "rest" in str(ic_df_compartment_val).strip().lower():
                             rests.append([comp_idx, pl_idx])
                         else:
                             y0[comp_idx, pl_idx] = float(ic_df_compartment_val)