The influence of Ti-doping on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of La 0.67 Ba 0.33 Mn 0.98 Ti 0.02 O 3 perovskite is investigated. La 0.67 Ba 0.33 Mn 0.98 Ti 0.02 O 3 sample was prepared by ceramic route at 1400°C. It is a cubic Pm–3m single phase and exhibits a sharp ferromagnetic–paramagnetic (FM–PM) transition at a Curie temperature T C (314K) which is very close to room temperature. Above T C the data follow a Curie–Weiss law with a shift between experimental and calculated effective paramagnetic moment. The associated experimental magnetic entropy change (ΔS M ) and the relative cooling power (RCP) have been determined. The observed field dependence of ΔS M is explained reasonably well by the Landau theory of second order phase transition. The maximum entropy change |ΔSMmax| exhibits a linear dependence with the applied magnetic field. |ΔSMmax| and RCP are respectively 3.21Jkg −1 K −1 (21.48mJcm −3 K −1 ) and 307Jkg −1 (2054mJcm −3 ) at 5T, which are about 30% of pure Gd. Our results on the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) are compared favourably with reported values for other doped manganites, thus concluding that our sample can be used as a magnetic refrigerant around room temperature.