diff --git a/klamath/basic.py b/klamath/basic.py
index f545090..e880393 100644
--- a/klamath/basic.py
+++ b/klamath/basic.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def encode_real8(fnums: NDArray[numpy.float64]) -> NDArray[numpy.uint64]:
     gds_exp = exp16 + 64
 
     neg_biased = (gds_exp < 0)
-    gds_mant[neg_biased] >>= (gds_exp[neg_biased] * 4).astype(numpy.uint16)
+    gds_mant[neg_biased] >>= (-gds_exp[neg_biased] * 4).astype(numpy.uint16)
     gds_exp[neg_biased] = 0
 
     too_big = (gds_exp > 0x7f) & ~(zero | subnorm)
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ def encode_real8(fnums: NDArray[numpy.float64]) -> NDArray[numpy.uint64]:
 
     real8 = sign | gds_exp_bits | gds_mant
     real8[zero] = 0
-    real8[gds_exp < -14] = 0  # number is too small
 
     return real8.astype(numpy.uint64, copy=False)