diff --git a/doc/apiref.rst b/doc/apiref.rst
index 036bb69..d92fb3b 100644
--- a/doc/apiref.rst
+++ b/doc/apiref.rst
@@ -954,7 +954,9 @@ macros can be ORed together to obtain *flags*.
    JSON defines only one number type. Jansson distinguishes between
    ints and reals. For more information see :ref:`real-vs-integer`.
    With this flag enabled the decoder interprets all numbers as real
-   values.
+   values. Integers that do not have an exact double representation
+   will silently result in a loss of precision. Integers that cause
+   a double overflow will cause an error.
 
   .. versionadded:: 2.5
 
diff --git a/src/load.c b/src/load.c
index 235c1e2..b671892 100644
--- a/src/load.c
+++ b/src/load.c
@@ -775,6 +775,7 @@ error:
 static json_t *parse_value(lex_t *lex, size_t flags, json_error_t *error)
 {
     json_t *json;
+    double value;
 
     switch(lex->token) {
         case TOKEN_STRING: {
@@ -784,7 +785,11 @@ static json_t *parse_value(lex_t *lex, size_t flags, json_error_t *error)
 
         case TOKEN_INTEGER: {
             if (flags & JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL) {
-                json = json_real(lex->value.integer);
+                if(jsonp_strtod(&lex->saved_text, &value)) {
+                    error_set(error, lex, "real number overflow");
+                    return NULL;
+                }
+                json = json_real(value);
             } else {
                 json = json_integer(lex->value.integer);
             }
diff --git a/test/suites/api/test_load.c b/test/suites/api/test_load.c
index 72667cb..6eddb34 100644
--- a/test/suites/api/test_load.c
+++ b/test/suites/api/test_load.c
@@ -87,14 +87,25 @@ static void decode_any()
     json_decref(json);
 }
 
-static void decode_no_int()
+static void decode_int_as_real()
 {
     json_t *json;
     json_error_t error;
 
+    // This number cannot be represented exactly by a double
+    const char *imprecise = "9007199254740993";
+    json_int_t expected = 9007199254740992ll;
+
     json = json_loads("42", JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL | JSON_DECODE_ANY, &error);
     if (!json || !json_is_real(json) || json_real_value(json) != 42.0)
-        fail("json_load decode no int failed - int");
+        fail("json_load decode int as real failed - int");
+    json_decref(json);
+
+    // Tests that large numbers are handled correctly
+    json = json_loads(imprecise, JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL | JSON_DECODE_ANY,
+                      &error);
+    if (!json || !json_is_real(json) || expected != json_real_value(json))
+            fail("json_load decode int as real failed - expected imprecision");
     json_decref(json);
 }
 
@@ -143,7 +154,7 @@ static void run_tests()
     reject_duplicates();
     disable_eof_check();
     decode_any();
-    decode_no_int();
+    decode_int_as_real();
     load_wrong_args();
     position();
 }