diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
index 614f557..23cb6fa 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml
@@ -5409,10 +5409,8 @@ SELECT SUBSTRING('XY1234Z', 'Y*?([0-9]{1,3})');
       <para>
 	   <literal>EEEE</literal> (scientific notation) cannot be used in
 	   combination with any of the other special formatting patterns or
-	   modifiers, must be at the end of the format string, and requires a
-	   format with exactly one digit before the decimal point.  (E.g.,
-	   <literal>9.99EEEE</literal> is a valid pattern, but
-	   <literal>99.99EEEE</literal> is not.)
+	   modifiers and must be at the end of the format string 
+	   (e.g., <literal>9.99EEEE</literal> is a valid pattern).
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c b/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
index 30d7b8a..4d0ed30 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/adt/formatting.c
@@ -492,20 +492,6 @@ do { \
 				 errhint("Intervals are not tied to specific calendar dates."))); \
 } while(0)
 
-/*
- * When using scientific notation (EEEE) the numeric format must have exactly
- * one digit prior to the decimal place.
- */
-#define VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(_X)  \
-do { \
-	if (_X.pre != 1) \
-		ereport(ERROR, \
-				(errcode(ERRCODE_SYNTAX_ERROR), \
-				 errmsg("invalid format for scientific notation"), \
-				 errdetail("\"EEEE\" requires exactly one digit before the decimal point."), \
-				 errhint("For example, \"9.999EEEE\" is a valid format."))); \
-} while(0)
-
 /*****************************************************************************
  *			KeyWord definitions
  *****************************************************************************/
@@ -853,7 +839,7 @@ static const KeyWord NUM_keywords[] = {
 	{"b", 1, NUM_B},			/* b */
 	{"c", 1, NUM_C},			/* c */
 	{"d", 1, NUM_D},			/* d */
-	{"e", 1, NUM_E},			/* e */
+	{"eeee", 4, NUM_E},			/* e */
 	{"fm", 2, NUM_FM},			/* f */
 	{"g", 1, NUM_G},			/* g */
 	{"l", 1, NUM_L},			/* l */
@@ -4679,8 +4665,6 @@ numeric_to_char(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	{
 		float8 val;
 		
-		VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(Num);
-		
 		val = DatumGetFloat8(DirectFunctionCall1(numeric_float8,
 										NumericGetDatum(value)));
 		
@@ -4779,8 +4763,6 @@ int4_to_char(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 		float8 val = (float8) value;
 		
 		numstr = orgnum = (char *) palloc(MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1);
-		VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(Num);
-		
 		snprintf(orgnum, MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1, "%.*e", Num.post, val);
 	}
 	else
@@ -4866,7 +4848,6 @@ int8_to_char(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 		float8 val = (float8) value;
 		
 		numstr = orgnum = (char *) palloc(MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1);
-		VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(Num);
 		len = snprintf(orgnum, MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1, "%.*e", Num.post, val);
 		
 		if (len > Num.pre + Num.post + 5)
@@ -4953,8 +4934,6 @@ float4_to_char(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	else if (IS_EEEE(&Num))
 	{
 		numstr = orgnum = (char *) palloc(MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1);
-		VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(Num);
-		
 		if (isnan(value) || is_infinite(value))
 		{
 			numstr = (char *) palloc(Num.pre + Num.post + 6);
@@ -5042,8 +5021,6 @@ float8_to_char(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	else if (IS_EEEE(&Num))
 	{
 		numstr = orgnum = (char *) palloc(MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1);
-		VERIFY_EEEE_FORMAT(Num);
-		
 		len = snprintf(orgnum, MAXDOUBLEWIDTH + 1, "%.*e", Num.post, value);
 		
 		if (isnan(value) || is_infinite(value) || len > Num.pre + Num.post + 5)