diff --git a/src/cxoTransform.c b/src/cxoTransform.c
index f04aa0f..bdd8ad7 100644
--- a/src/cxoTransform.c
+++ b/src/cxoTransform.c
@@ -717,14 +717,12 @@ PyObject *cxoTransform_toPython(cxoTransformNum transformNum,
 #endif
                 Py_DECREF(stringObj);
                 return result;
-            } else if (transformNum != CXO_TRANSFORM_DECIMAL &&
-                    bytes->length <= 15) {
+            } else if (transformNum == CXO_TRANSFORM_DECIMAL) {
+                result = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(
+                        (PyObject*) cxoPyTypeDecimal, stringObj, NULL);
+            } else {
                 result = PyNumber_Float(stringObj);
-                Py_DECREF(stringObj);
-                return result;
             }
-            result = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(
-                    (PyObject*) cxoPyTypeDecimal, stringObj, NULL);
             Py_DECREF(stringObj);
             return result;
         case CXO_TRANSFORM_OBJECT:
diff --git a/test/NumberVar.py b/test/NumberVar.py
index 7a60884..31de4ca 100644
--- a/test/NumberVar.py
+++ b/test/NumberVar.py
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class TestCase(TestEnv.BaseTestCase):
                 decimal.Decimal("-9.99999999999999e+125"), 0.0, 1e-130,
                 -1e-130]
         outValues = [int("9" * 15 + "0" * 111), -int("9" * 15 + "0" * 111),
-                0, decimal.Decimal("1e-130"), decimal.Decimal("-1e-130")]
+                0, 1e-130, -1e-130]
         for inValue, outValue in zip(inValues, outValues):
             self.cursor.execute("select :1 from dual", (inValue,))
             result, = self.cursor.fetchone()
@@ -351,8 +351,8 @@ class TestCase(TestEnv.BaseTestCase):
                 from TestNumbers
                 where IntCol = 1""")
         result, = self.cursor.fetchone()
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(result,
-                decimal.Decimal("1") / decimal.Decimal("7"))
+        self.assertEqual(result, 1.0 / 7.0)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(result, float), "float not returned")
 
     def testStringFormat(self):
         "test that string format is returned properly"