diff --git a/fmt/printf.ts b/fmt/printf.ts
index 6c5bc78f18e9..7a9b3d6e076d 100644
--- a/fmt/printf.ts
+++ b/fmt/printf.ts
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ class Printf {
       if (10 <= mantissa) {
         mantissa = 1;
         const r = parseInt(esign + e) + 1;
-        e = r.toString();
+        e = Math.abs(r).toString();
         esign = r < 0 ? "-" : "+";
       }
     }
diff --git a/fmt/printf_test.ts b/fmt/printf_test.ts
index 336710fcb83d..b31e563b2080 100644
--- a/fmt/printf_test.ts
+++ b/fmt/printf_test.ts
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ Deno.test("sprintf() handles floats", function () {
   assertEquals(sprintf("%.3e", 1.9999), "2.000e+00");
   assertEquals(sprintf("%.3e", 29.99999), "3.000e+01");
   assertEquals(sprintf("%.3e", 999999), "1.000e+06");
+  assertEquals(sprintf("%.3e", 0.000099999), "1.000e-04");
 });
 Deno.test("sprintf() handles floatE", function () {
   assertEquals(sprintf("%E", 4), "4.000000E+00");