diff --git a/newlib/libm/math/e_pow.c b/newlib/libm/math/e_pow.c
index 0e2251f10..b21726007 100644
--- a/newlib/libm/math/e_pow.c
+++ b/newlib/libm/math/e_pow.c
@@ -198,8 +198,11 @@ ivln2_l  =  1.92596299112661746887e-08; /* 0x3E54AE0B, 0xF85DDF44 =1/ln2 tail*/
     /* |y| is huge */
 	if(iy>0x42000000) { /* if |y| > ~2**33 (does not regard mantissa) */
 	    if(iy>0x43f00000){	/* if |y| > ~2**64, must o/uflow and y is an even integer */
-		if(ix<=0x3fefffff) return (hy<0)? __math_oflow(0):__math_uflow(0);
-		if(ix>=0x3ff00000) return (hy>0)? __math_oflow(0):__math_uflow(0);
+		if(ix<=0x3fefffff) { /* |x| < 1 */
+		    return (hy<0)? __math_oflow(0):__math_uflow(0);
+		} else {             /* |x| >= 1 */
+		    return (hy>0)? __math_oflow(0):__math_uflow(0);
+		}
 	    }
 	/* over/underflow if x is not close to one */
 	    if(ix<0x3fefffff) return (hy<0)? __math_oflow(sign<0):__math_uflow(sign<0);