diff --git a/src/CHANGELOG b/src/CHANGELOG
index 3d38685ec..96449f53f 100644
--- a/src/CHANGELOG
+++ b/src/CHANGELOG
@@ -44,8 +44,6 @@ ECL 0.9h
    true bignums then, just long long int if possible; doesn't work with native
    compilation because compiler needs true bignums).
 
-* System design:
-
  - ECL's own conservative garbage collector works again.
 
  - It is possible now to execute lisp code from threads that have been created
@@ -53,7 +51,16 @@ ECL 0.9h
 	ecl_import_current_thread(cl_object name, cl_object bindings)
    should be called to register the current thread with the lisp world, while
 	ecl_release_current_thread()
-   should be invoked before the current thread exits.
+   should be invoked before the current thread exits. However, in order to
+   ensure that the garbage collector can handle these threads, these
+   applications must be compiled and linked against ECL so that the
+   appropiate replacements for pthread_create()/CreateThread() are used.
+
+ - On systems with GNU libc, we are able to signal and trap floating point
+   exceptions of the following kinds: overflow, underflow and division by zero.
+   Trapping of these exceptions can be disabled with (SI::TRAP-FPE NIL). In
+   practice this means overflows in routines like EXP, EXPT, etc, are now
+   detected.
 
 * Visible changes:
 
diff --git a/src/c/cinit.d b/src/c/cinit.d
index 0dd59bcd4..2f195a6a1 100644
--- a/src/c/cinit.d
+++ b/src/c/cinit.d
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ main(int argc, char **args)
 	/* This should be always the first call */
 	cl_boot(argc, args);
 
+	/* We are computing unnormalized numbers at some point */
+	si_trap_fpe(Ct, Cnil);
+
 #ifdef ECL_CMU_FORMAT
 	SYM_VAL(@'*load-verbose*') = Cnil;
 #endif
diff --git a/src/c/symbols_list.h b/src/c/symbols_list.h
index 6bf58606b..b91e7e1f3 100644
--- a/src/c/symbols_list.h
+++ b/src/c/symbols_list.h
@@ -1563,6 +1563,8 @@ cl_symbols[] = {
 {KEY_ "CDECL", KEYWORD, NULL, -1, OBJNULL},
 {KEY_ "STDCALL", KEYWORD, NULL, -1, OBJNULL},
 
+{SYS_ "TRAP-FPE", SI_ORDINARY, si_trap_fpe, 2, OBJNULL},
+
 /* Tag for end of list */
 {NULL, CL_ORDINARY, NULL, -1, OBJNULL}};
 
diff --git a/src/c/symbols_list2.h b/src/c/symbols_list2.h
index 84b152e39..db56b2a0e 100644
--- a/src/c/symbols_list2.h
+++ b/src/c/symbols_list2.h
@@ -1563,6 +1563,8 @@ cl_symbols[] = {
 {KEY_ "CDECL",NULL},
 {KEY_ "STDCALL",NULL},
 
+{SYS_ "TRAP-FPE","si_trap_fpe"},
+
 /* Tag for end of list */
 {NULL,NULL}};
 
diff --git a/src/c/unixint.d b/src/c/unixint.d
index 8d1b90ccf..7bd679786 100644
--- a/src/c/unixint.d
+++ b/src/c/unixint.d
@@ -14,6 +14,26 @@
     See file '../Copyright' for full details.
 */
 
+#include <config.h>
+#ifdef HAVE_FENV_H
+# define _GNU_SOURCE
+# include <fenv.h>
+# ifndef FE_UNDERFLOW
+#  define FE_UNDERFLOW 0
+# endif
+# ifndef FE_OVERFLOW
+#  define FE_OVERFLOW 0
+# endif
+# ifndef FE_INVALID
+#  define FE_INVALID 0
+# endif
+# ifndef FE_DIVBYZERO
+#  define FE_DIVBYZERO 0
+# endif
+# ifndef FE_INEXACT
+#  define FE_INEXACT 0
+# endif
+#endif
 #include "ecl.h"
 #include "internal.h"
 #include <signal.h>
@@ -28,8 +48,27 @@
 
 bool ecl_interrupt_enable;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_SIGPROCMASK
 static void
+mysignal(int code, void *handler)
+{
+	struct sigaction new_action, old_action;
+
+	new_action.sa_sigaction = handler;
+	sigemptyset(&new_action.sa_mask);
+	new_action.sa_flags = SA_SIGINFO;
+	sigaction(code, &new_action, &old_action);
+}
+#else
+#define mysignal(x,y) signal(x,y)
+#endif
+
+static void
+#ifdef SA_SIGINFO
+handle_signal(int sig, siginfo_t *info, void *aux)
+#else
 handle_signal(int sig)
+#endif
 {
 	switch (sig) {
 #if defined(ECL_THREADS) && !defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(mingw32)
@@ -40,9 +79,35 @@ handle_signal(int sig)
 	case SIGINT:
 		funcall(2, @'si::terminal-interrupt', Ct);
 		break;
-	case SIGFPE:
-		FEerror("Floating-point exception.", 0);
+	case SIGFPE: {
+		cl_object condition = @'arithmetic-error';
+#if defined(HAVE_FENV_H)
+		int bits = fetestexcept(FE_ALL_EXCEPT);
+		if (bits & FE_DIVBYZERO)
+			condition = @'division-by-zero';
+		if (bits & FE_OVERFLOW)
+			condition = @'floating-point-overflow';
+		if (bits & FE_UNDERFLOW)
+			condition = @'floating-point-underflow';
+		if (bits & FE_INEXACT)
+			condition = @'floating-point-inexact';
+		if (bits & FE_INVALID)
+			condition = @'floating-point-invalid-operation';
+#endif
+#ifdef SA_SIGINFO
+		if (info) {
+			if (info->si_code == FPE_INTDIV || info->si_code == FPE_FLTDIV)
+				condition = @'division-by-zero';
+			if (info->si_code == FPE_FLTOVF)
+				condition = @'floating-point-overflow';
+			if (info->si_code == FPE_FLTUND)
+				condition = @'floating-point-underflow';
+		}
+#endif
+		si_trap_fpe(@'last', Ct);
+		cl_error(1, condition);
 		break;
+	}
 	case SIGSEGV:
 		FEerror("Segmentation violation.", 0);
 		break;
@@ -56,7 +121,11 @@ handle_signal(int sig)
  * handle stack overflows gracefully.
  */
 static void
+#ifdef SA_SIGINFO
+signal_catcher(int sig, siginfo_t *siginfo, void *data)
+#else
 signal_catcher(int sig)
+#endif
 {
 	if (!ecl_interrupt_enable ||
 	    symbol_value(@'si::*interrupt-enable*') == Cnil) {
@@ -64,10 +133,10 @@ signal_catcher(int sig)
 		cl_env.interrupt_pending = sig;
 		return;
 	}
-	signal(sig, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(sig, signal_catcher);
 #ifdef HAVE_SIGPROCMASK
 	CL_UNWIND_PROTECT_BEGIN {
-		handle_signal(sig);
+		handle_signal(sig, siginfo, data);
 	} CL_UNWIND_PROTECT_EXIT {
 		sigset_t block_mask;
 		sigemptyset(&block_mask);
@@ -88,26 +157,26 @@ si_check_pending_interrupts(void)
 {
 	int what = cl_env.interrupt_pending;
 	cl_env.interrupt_pending = 0;
-	handle_signal(what);
+	handle_signal(what, 0, 0);
 	@(return)
 }
 
 cl_object
 si_catch_bad_signals()
 {
-	signal(SIGILL, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGILL, signal_catcher);
 #ifndef GBC_BOEHM
-	signal(SIGBUS, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGBUS, signal_catcher);
 #endif
-	signal(SIGSEGV, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGSEGV, signal_catcher);
 #ifdef SIGIOT
-	signal(SIGIOT, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGIOT, signal_catcher);
 #endif
 #ifdef SIGEMT
-	signal(SIGEMT, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGEMT, signal_catcher);
 #endif
 #ifdef SIGSYS
-	signal(SIGSYS, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGSYS, signal_catcher);
 #endif
 	@(return Ct)
 }
@@ -115,19 +184,19 @@ si_catch_bad_signals()
 cl_object
 si_uncatch_bad_signals()
 {
-	signal(SIGILL, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGILL, SIG_DFL);
 #ifndef GBC_BOEHM
-	signal(SIGBUS, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGBUS, SIG_DFL);
 #endif
-	signal(SIGSEGV, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGSEGV, SIG_DFL);
 #ifdef SIGIOT
-	signal(SIGIOT, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGIOT, SIG_DFL);
 #endif
 #ifdef SIGEMT
-	signal(SIGEMT, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGEMT, SIG_DFL);
 #endif
 #ifdef SIGSYS
-	signal(SIGSYS, SIG_DFL);
+	mysignal(SIGSYS, SIG_DFL);
 #endif
 	@(return Ct)
 }
@@ -182,13 +251,43 @@ BOOL WINAPI W32_console_ctrl_handler(DWORD type)
 }
 #endif
 
+cl_object
+si_trap_fpe(cl_object condition, cl_object flag)
+{
+#if defined(HAVE_FENV_H) && defined(HAVE_FEENABLEEXCEPT)
+	static int last_bits = 0;
+	int bits = 0;
+	if (condition == @'division-by-zero')
+		bits = FE_DIVBYZERO;
+	else if (condition == @'floating-point-overflow')
+		bits = FE_OVERFLOW;
+	else if (condition == @'floating-point-underflow')
+		bits = FE_UNDERFLOW;
+	else if (condition == Ct)
+		bits = FE_DIVBYZERO | FE_OVERFLOW | FE_UNDERFLOW;
+	else if (condition == @'last')
+		bits = last_bits;
+	if (bits) {
+		if (flag == Cnil) {
+			fedisableexcept(bits);
+			last_bits &= ~bits;
+		} else {
+			feenableexcept(bits);
+			last_bits |= bits;
+		}
+	}
+#endif
+	@(return flag)
+}	
+
 void
 init_unixint(void)
 {
-	signal(SIGFPE, signal_catcher);
-	signal(SIGINT, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGFPE, signal_catcher);
+	si_trap_fpe(Ct, Ct);
+	mysignal(SIGINT, signal_catcher);
 #if defined(ECL_THREADS) && !defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(mingw32)
-	signal(SIGUSR1, signal_catcher);
+	mysignal(SIGUSR1, signal_catcher);
 #endif
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 	SetUnhandledExceptionFilter(W32_exception_filter);
diff --git a/src/configure b/src/configure
index ea5bc6456..582268566 100755
--- a/src/configure
+++ b/src/configure
@@ -5485,9 +5485,10 @@ fi
 
 
 
+
 for ac_header in fcntl.h inttypes.h limits.h netdb.h netinet/in.h \
                   stddef.h stdlib.h string.h sys/param.h \
-                  sys/socket.h sys/time.h unistd.h
+                  sys/socket.h sys/time.h unistd.h fenv.h
 do
 as_ac_Header=`echo "ac_cv_header_$ac_header" | $as_tr_sh`
 if eval "test \"\${$as_ac_Header+set}\" = set"; then
@@ -9560,8 +9561,9 @@ done
 
 
 
+
 for ac_func in nanosleep alarm times isnanf select setenv putenv \
-                lstat mkstemp sigprocmask isatty
+                lstat mkstemp sigprocmask isatty feenableexcept
 do
 as_ac_var=`echo "ac_cv_func_$ac_func" | $as_tr_sh`
 echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_func" >&5
diff --git a/src/configure.in b/src/configure.in
index cbef8e716..d2820ba5c 100644
--- a/src/configure.in
+++ b/src/configure.in
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ AC_HEADER_STDC
 AC_HEADER_TIME
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS( [fcntl.h inttypes.h limits.h netdb.h netinet/in.h] \
                   [stddef.h stdlib.h string.h sys/param.h] \
-                  [sys/socket.h sys/time.h unistd.h] )
+                  [sys/socket.h sys/time.h unistd.h fenv.h] )
 dnl !!! end autoscan
 
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS( [sys/resource.h sys/utsname.h float.h pwd.h dlfcn.h link.h] \
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS( [floor getcwd gethostbyaddr gethostbyname getpagesize] \
 dnl !!! end autoscan
 
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS( [nanosleep alarm times isnanf select setenv putenv] \
-                [lstat mkstemp sigprocmask isatty] )
+                [lstat mkstemp sigprocmask isatty feenableexcept] )
 
 dnl =====================================================================
 dnl Checks for system services
diff --git a/src/h/config.h.in b/src/h/config.h.in
index 7cff003b6..93547dc01 100644
--- a/src/h/config.h.in
+++ b/src/h/config.h.in
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ typedef unsigned @CL_FIXNUM_TYPE@ cl_hashkey;
 #undef HAVE_ISATTY
 /* compiler understands long long                                       */
 #undef HAVE_LONG_LONG
+/* can manipulate floating point environment				*/
+#undef HAVE_FENV_H
+/* can activate individual traps in floating point environment		*/
+#undef HAVE_FEENABLEEXCEPT
 
 /* what characters are used to mark beginning of new line		*/
 #undef ECL_NEWLINE_IS_CRLF
diff --git a/src/h/ecl.h b/src/h/ecl.h
index 4aa38dbb7..c25280278 100644
--- a/src/h/ecl.h
+++ b/src/h/ecl.h
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ typedef unsigned char uint8_t;
 typedef unsigned short uint16_t;
 #endif
 
+#ifndef FIXNUM_BITS
 #include <config.h>
+#endif
 
 #ifdef ECL_THREADS
 # if defined(_MSC_VER) || defined(mingw32)
diff --git a/src/h/external.h b/src/h/external.h
index 6e86aa74c..40715c858 100644
--- a/src/h/external.h
+++ b/src/h/external.h
@@ -1463,6 +1463,7 @@ extern cl_object homedir_pathname(cl_object user);
 extern cl_object si_catch_bad_signals(void);
 extern cl_object si_uncatch_bad_signals(void);
 extern cl_object si_check_pending_interrupts(void);
+extern cl_object si_trap_fpe(cl_object condition, cl_object flag);
 
 
 /* unixsys.c */