diff --git a/lib/chibi/scribble-test.sld b/lib/chibi/scribble-test.sld
index 5742091c..6eec73d0 100644
--- a/lib/chibi/scribble-test.sld
+++ b/lib/chibi/scribble-test.sld
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
       (test-scribble '((foo "blah \"blah\" (`blah'?)")) "\\foo{blah \"blah\" (`blah'?)}")
       (test-scribble '((foo 1 2 "3 4")) "\\foo[1 2]{3 4}")
       (test-scribble '((foo 1 2 3 4)) "\\foo[1 2 3 4]")
+      (test-scribble '(123.456) "\\123.456")
+      (test-scribble '((123.456)) "\\(123.456 )")
       (test-scribble '((foo width: 2 "blah blah")) "\\foo[width: 2]{blah blah}")
       (test-scribble '((foo "blah blah" "\n" "     yada yada")) "\\foo{blah blah
      yada yada}")
diff --git a/lib/chibi/scribble.scm b/lib/chibi/scribble.scm
index 48168b7d..316d497d 100644
--- a/lib/chibi/scribble.scm
+++ b/lib/chibi/scribble.scm
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
        ((eqv? #\. ch)
         (read-char in)
         (if (= base 10)
-            (begin (read-char in) (read-float-tail in (inexact acc)))
+            (read-float-tail in (inexact acc))
             (error "non-base-10 floating point")))
        (else (error "invalid numeric syntax"))))))