diff --git a/doc/apiref.rst b/doc/apiref.rst
index 198c0c2..d92fb3b 100644
--- a/doc/apiref.rst
+++ b/doc/apiref.rst
@@ -950,6 +950,16 @@ macros can be ORed together to obtain *flags*.
 
    .. versionadded:: 2.1
 
+``JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL``
+   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. 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
+
 Each function also takes an optional :type:`json_error_t` parameter
 that is filled with error information if decoding fails. It's also
 updated on success; the number of bytes of input read is written to
diff --git a/doc/conformance.rst b/doc/conformance.rst
index 6f4c929..19f603d 100644
--- a/doc/conformance.rst
+++ b/doc/conformance.rst
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ strings.
 Numbers
 =======
 
+.. _real-vs-integer:
+
 Real vs. Integer
 ----------------
 
@@ -51,7 +53,8 @@ A JSON number is considered to be a real number if its lexical
 representation includes one of ``e``, ``E``, or ``.``; regardless if
 its actual numeric value is a true integer (e.g., all of ``1E6``,
 ``3.0``, ``400E-2``, and ``3.14E3`` are mathematical integers, but
-will be treated as real values).
+will be treated as real values). With the ``JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL``
+decoder flag set all numbers are interpreted as real.
 
 All other JSON numbers are considered integers.
 
diff --git a/src/jansson.h b/src/jansson.h
index 77cc5ba..d441fcf 100644
--- a/src/jansson.h
+++ b/src/jansson.h
@@ -236,9 +236,10 @@ json_t *json_deep_copy(json_t *value);
 
 /* decoding */
 
-#define JSON_REJECT_DUPLICATES 0x1
-#define JSON_DISABLE_EOF_CHECK 0x2
-#define JSON_DECODE_ANY        0x4
+#define JSON_REJECT_DUPLICATES  0x1
+#define JSON_DISABLE_EOF_CHECK  0x2
+#define JSON_DECODE_ANY         0x4
+#define JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL 0x8
 
 typedef size_t (*json_load_callback_t)(void *buffer, size_t buflen, void *data);
 
diff --git a/src/load.c b/src/load.c
index 1eb3be4..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: {
@@ -783,7 +784,15 @@ static json_t *parse_value(lex_t *lex, size_t flags, json_error_t *error)
         }
 
         case TOKEN_INTEGER: {
-            json = json_integer(lex->value.integer);
+            if (flags & JSON_DECODE_INT_AS_REAL) {
+                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);
+            }
             break;
         }
 
diff --git a/test/suites/api/test_load.c b/test/suites/api/test_load.c
index 30ba65c..6eddb34 100644
--- a/test/suites/api/test_load.c
+++ b/test/suites/api/test_load.c
@@ -87,6 +87,28 @@ static void decode_any()
     json_decref(json);
 }
 
+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 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);
+}
+
 static void load_wrong_args()
 {
     json_t *json;
@@ -132,6 +154,7 @@ static void run_tests()
     reject_duplicates();
     disable_eof_check();
     decode_any();
+    decode_int_as_real();
     load_wrong_args();
     position();
 }