diff --git a/src/modp_numtoa.c b/src/modp_numtoa.c
index d77b68580a..0725e58159 100644
--- a/src/modp_numtoa.c
+++ b/src/modp_numtoa.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  */
 static const double _pow10[] = {1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000, 100000, 1000000,
                                10000000, 100000000, 1000000000};
+static const double _pow10r[] = {1, .1, .01, .001, .0001, .00001, .000001,
+                                .0000001, .00000001, .000000001};
 
 static void strreverse(char* begin, char* end)
 {
@@ -287,6 +289,14 @@ void modp_dtoa2(double value, char* str, int prec)
         prec = 9;
     }
 
+    double smallest = _pow10r[prec];
+
+    if (value != 0.0 && value < smallest) {
+        sprintf(str, "%.*e", DBL_DECIMAL_DIG - 1, neg ? -value : value);
+        sn_strip_trailing_zeros(str);
+        return;
+    }
+
     int whole = (int) value;
     double tmp = (value - whole) * _pow10[prec];
     uint32_t frac = (uint32_t)(tmp);
diff --git a/src/modp_numtoa.h b/src/modp_numtoa.h
index 619a4ac767..c8c46827c8 100644
--- a/src/modp_numtoa.h
+++ b/src/modp_numtoa.h
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ void modp_dtoa(double value, char* buf, int precision);
  * will be switched exponential format and include as many precision digits
  * as needed to preserve information.
  *
+ * If a non-zero input value is less than 10^(-precision), the output format
+ * will be switched exponential format and include as many precision digits
+ * as needed to preserve information.
+ *
  * \param[in] value
  * \param[out] buf  The allocated output buffer.  Should be 32 chars or more.
  * \param[in] precision  Number of digits to the right of the decimal point.
diff --git a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.double/out b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.double/out
index 8ec12b40e1..453fae924f 100644
--- a/testing/btest/Baseline/language.double/out
+++ b/testing/btest/Baseline/language.double/out
@@ -27,3 +27,35 @@ relational operator (PASS)
 relational operator (PASS)
 division operator (PASS)
 max double value = 1.7976931348623157e+308 (PASS)
+
+4.9999999999999999e-13
+4.9999999999999997e-12
+5.0000000000000002e-11
+5.0000000000000003e-10
+5.0000000000000001e-09
+4.9999999999999998e-08
+4.9999999999999998e-07
+
+0.000005
+0.00005
+0.0005
+0.005
+0.05
+0.5
+5.0
+
+1.e-13
+9.9999999999999998e-13
+9.9999999999999994e-12
+1.e-10
+1.0000000000000001e-09
+1.e-08
+9.9999999999999995e-08
+
+0.000001
+0.00001
+0.0001
+0.001
+0.01
+0.1
+1.0
diff --git a/testing/btest/language/double.zeek b/testing/btest/language/double.zeek
index 56ce711da2..f98abc839a 100644
--- a/testing/btest/language/double.zeek
+++ b/testing/btest/language/double.zeek
@@ -75,5 +75,40 @@ event zeek_init()
 	local str1 = fmt("max double value = %.16e", d19);
 	test_case( str1, str1 == "max double value = 1.7976931348623157e+308" );
 
+	# Printing small numbers: default precision is 6 with values smaller than
+	# 10^-6 rendered in scientific notation, preserving exact floating point
+	# representation.
+	print "";
+	print 0.0000000000005;
+	print 0.000000000005;
+	print 0.00000000005;
+	print 0.0000000005;
+	print 0.000000005;
+	print 0.00000005;
+	print 0.0000005;
+	print "";
+	print 0.000005;
+	print 0.00005;
+	print 0.0005;
+	print 0.005;
+	print 0.05;
+	print 0.5;
+	print 5.0;
+	print "";
+	print 0.0000000000001;
+	print 0.000000000001;
+	print 0.00000000001;
+	print 0.0000000001;
+	print 0.000000001;
+	print 0.00000001;
+	print 0.0000001;
+	print "";
+	print 0.000001;
+	print 0.00001;
+	print 0.0001;
+	print 0.001;
+	print 0.01;
+	print 0.1;
+	print 1.0;
 }