diff --git a/include/fast_float/decimal_to_binary.h b/include/fast_float/decimal_to_binary.h
index 35727e3..18d0c51 100644
--- a/include/fast_float/decimal_to_binary.h
+++ b/include/fast_float/decimal_to_binary.h
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ adjusted_mantissa compute_float(int64_t q, uint64_t w)  noexcept  {
   return answer;
 }
 
+
 } // namespace fast_float
 
 #endif
diff --git a/include/fast_float/float_common.h b/include/fast_float/float_common.h
index 0dc487a..7d0a1ed 100644
--- a/include/fast_float/float_common.h
+++ b/include/fast_float/float_common.h
@@ -126,7 +126,11 @@ value128 full_multiplication(uint64_t value1, uint64_t value2) {
 struct adjusted_mantissa {
   uint64_t mantissa;
   int power2;
-  adjusted_mantissa() : mantissa(0), power2(0) {}
+  adjusted_mantissa() = default;
+  //bool operator==(const adjusted_mantissa &o) const = default;
+  bool operator==(const adjusted_mantissa &o) const {
+    return mantissa == o.mantissa && power2 == o.power2;
+  }
 };
 
 struct decimal {
@@ -135,6 +139,36 @@ struct decimal {
   bool negative;
   bool truncated;
   uint8_t digits[max_digits];
+
+  // generate a mantissa by truncating to 19 digits, this assumes
+  // that num_digits >= 19 (caller should check).
+  inline uint64_t to_truncated_mantissa() {
+    const int64_t max_digit_with_overflow = 19;
+    static_assert(9999999999999999999U < 0xffffffffffffffff, "cannot fit 19 digits in an uint64_t");
+    static_assert(max_digit_with_overflow < max_digits, "too few max_digits");
+    uint64_t val; 
+    // 8 first digits
+    ::memcpy(&val, digits, sizeof(uint64_t));
+    val = val * 2561 >> 8;
+    val = (val & 0x00FF00FF00FF00FF) * 6553601 >> 16;
+    uint64_t mantissa = uint32_t((val & 0x0000FFFF0000FFFF) * 42949672960001 >> 32);
+    // 8 more digits for a total of 16
+    ::memcpy(&val, digits + sizeof(uint64_t), sizeof(uint64_t));
+    val = val * 2561 >> 8;
+    val = (val & 0x00FF00FF00FF00FF) * 6553601 >> 16;
+    uint32_t eight_digits_value = uint32_t((val & 0x0000FFFF0000FFFF) * 42949672960001 >> 32);
+    mantissa = 100000000 * mantissa + eight_digits_value;
+    for(size_t i = 2*sizeof(uint64_t); i < max_digit_with_overflow; i++) {
+      mantissa = mantissa * 10 + digits[i]; // can be accelerated
+    }
+    return mantissa;
+  }
+  // generate an exponent matching to_truncated_mantissa() 
+  inline int64_t to_truncated_exponent() {
+    const int64_t max_digit_with_overflow = 19;
+    return decimal_point - max_digit_with_overflow;
+  }    
+
 };
 
 constexpr static double powers_of_ten_double[] = {
@@ -265,4 +299,13 @@ constexpr float binary_format<float>::exact_power_of_ten(int64_t power) {
 
 } // namespace fast_float
 
+// for convenience:
+#include <ostream>
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& out, const fast_float::decimal& d) {
+    out << "0.";
+    for(size_t i = 0; i < d.num_digits; i++) { out << int32_t(d.digits[i]); }
+    out << " * 10 ** " << d.decimal_point;
+    return out;
+}
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/fast_float/simple_decimal_conversion.h b/include/fast_float/simple_decimal_conversion.h
index 410ba05..ef1f0ad 100644
--- a/include/fast_float/simple_decimal_conversion.h
+++ b/include/fast_float/simple_decimal_conversion.h
@@ -28,20 +28,6 @@ inline void trim(decimal &h) {
   }
 }
 
-/** If you ever want to see what is going on, the following function might prove handy:
- * **/
-void print(const decimal d, int32_t exp2 = 0) {
-  printf("0.");
-  for(size_t i = 0; i < d.num_digits; i++) {
-    printf("%d", int(d.digits[i]));
-  }
-  printf(" * 10 **%d ", d.decimal_point);
-  printf(" * 2 **%d ", exp2);
-
-}
-
-
-
 
 
 uint32_t number_of_digits_decimal_left_shift(decimal &h, uint32_t shift) {
@@ -368,8 +354,20 @@ adjusted_mantissa compute_float(decimal &d) {
 template <typename binary>
 adjusted_mantissa parse_long_mantissa(const char *first, const char* last) {
     decimal d = parse_decimal(first, last);
+    const uint64_t mantissa = d.to_truncated_mantissa();
+    const int64_t exponent =  d.to_truncated_exponent();
+    adjusted_mantissa am1 = compute_float<binary>(exponent, mantissa);
+    adjusted_mantissa am2 = compute_float<binary>(exponent, mantissa+1);
+    if( am1 == am2 ) { return am1; }
     return compute_float<binary>(d);
 }
 
 } // namespace fast_float
 #endif
+
+/*
+  uint32_t num_digits;
+  int32_t decimal_point;
+  bool negative;
+  bool truncated;
+  uint8_t digits[max_digits];*/
\ No newline at end of file