diff --git a/Packages/Number_types/changes.txt b/Packages/Number_types/changes.txt
index 610a2aa8dfc..058b2afe2d6 100644
--- a/Packages/Number_types/changes.txt
+++ b/Packages/Number_types/changes.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+4.126 (4 Dec 2003)
+- Protect operator>>(MP_Float) against end of stream.
+
 4.125 (1 Dec 2003)
 - Quotient<NT> now supports sqrt() iff NT supports it.
 
diff --git a/Packages/Number_types/src/MP_Float.C b/Packages/Number_types/src/MP_Float.C
index c03a357b543..0039cb7ebd5 100644
--- a/Packages/Number_types/src/MP_Float.C
+++ b/Packages/Number_types/src/MP_Float.C
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ MP_Float::MP_Float(double d)
     if (d == 0)
       return;
 
-    CGAL_expensive_assertion(is_finite(d) && is_valid(d));
+    CGAL_assertion(is_finite(d) && is_valid(d));
     CGAL_expensive_assertion_code(double bak = d;)
 
     // This is subtle, because ints are not symetric against 0.
@@ -402,9 +402,10 @@ print (std::ostream & os, const MP_Float &b)
 std::istream &
 operator>> (std::istream & is, MP_Float &b)
 {
-  double i;
-  is >> i;
-  b = MP_Float(i);
+  double d;
+  is >> d;
+  if (is)
+    b = MP_Float(d);
   return is;
 }