diff --git a/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v b/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
index f31a4b71195cec..99b06bb4957f52 100644
--- a/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
+++ b/vlib/v/scanner/scanner.v
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ fn (mut s Scanner) ident_dec_number() string {
 		if !s.pref.translated {
 			s.error('this number has unsuitable digit `${first_wrong_digit.str()}`')
 		}
-	} else if s.text[s.pos - 1] in [`e`, `E`] {
+	} else if s.text[s.pos - 1] in [`e`, `E`] && !s.is_inside_string {
 		// error check: 5e
 		s.pos-- // adjust error position
 		s.error('exponent has no digits')
diff --git a/vlib/v/tests/builtin_strings_and_interpolation/string_interpolation_test.v b/vlib/v/tests/builtin_strings_and_interpolation/string_interpolation_test.v
index 1d2df7bf3f160a..de53c6174c6c76 100644
--- a/vlib/v/tests/builtin_strings_and_interpolation/string_interpolation_test.v
+++ b/vlib/v/tests/builtin_strings_and_interpolation/string_interpolation_test.v
@@ -233,3 +233,9 @@ fn test_interpo_non_ascii_characters() {
 	hello := '你好'
 	assert '${hello},世界！' == '你好,世界！'
 }
+
+fn test_float_exponent_sign() {
+	a := 1.234
+	assert '${a:4.1}' == ' 1.2'
+	assert '${a:4.1}' == ' 1.2'
+}