diff --git a/onnxruntime/python/tools/transformers/float16.py b/onnxruntime/python/tools/transformers/float16.py
index 634548de0d..95ff657451 100644
--- a/onnxruntime/python/tools/transformers/float16.py
+++ b/onnxruntime/python/tools/transformers/float16.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import numpy as np
 import onnx
 from onnx import helper, numpy_helper
 from onnx import onnx_pb as onnx_proto
+from packaging import version
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ def convert_float_to_float16(
     assert max_finite_val <= float(np.finfo(np.float16).max), "invalid max_finite_val. largest float16 value: 65504"
 
     func_infer_shape = None
-    if not disable_shape_infer and onnx.__version__ >= "1.2":
+    if not disable_shape_infer and version.parse(onnx.__version__) >= version.parse("1.2.0"):
         try:
             from onnx.shape_inference import infer_shapes