diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/numeric.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/numeric.c
index 2d6a4cb7de..9b3f5b9410 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/numeric.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/numeric.c
@@ -629,15 +629,17 @@ numeric_out_sci(Numeric num, int scale)
 /*
  * numeric_normalize() -
  *
- *	Output function for numeric data type without trailing zeroes.
+ *	Output function for numeric data type, suppressing insignificant trailing
+ *	zeroes and then any trailing decimal point.  The intent of this is to
+ *	produce strings that are equal if and only if the input numeric values
+ *	compare equal.
  */
 char *
 numeric_normalize(Numeric num)
 {
 	NumericVar	x;
 	char	   *str;
-	int			orig,
-				last;
+	int			last;
 
 	/*
 	 * Handle NaN
@@ -649,19 +651,25 @@ numeric_normalize(Numeric num)
 
 	str = get_str_from_var(&x);
 
-	orig = last = strlen(str) - 1;
-
-	for (;;)
+	/* If there's no decimal point, there's certainly nothing to remove. */
+	if (strchr(str, '.') != NULL)
 	{
-		if (last == 0 || str[last] != '0')
-			break;
+		/*
+		 * Back up over trailing fractional zeroes.  Since there is a decimal
+		 * point, this loop will terminate safely.
+		 */
+		last = strlen(str) - 1;
+		while (str[last] == '0')
+			last--;
 
-		last--;
+		/* We want to get rid of the decimal point too, if it's now last. */
+		if (str[last] == '.')
+			last--;
+
+		/* Delete whatever we backed up over. */
+		str[last + 1] = '\0';
 	}
 
-	if (last > 0 && last != orig)
-		str[last] = '\0';
-
 	return str;
 }