diff --git a/lib/bigint.c b/lib/bigint.c
index 44ba090..c270931 100644
--- a/lib/bigint.c
+++ b/lib/bigint.c
@@ -3819,7 +3819,7 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_eqints (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 	}
 
 oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
+	hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O, %O", x, y);
 	return HCL_NULL;
 }
 
@@ -3840,7 +3840,7 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_neints (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 	}
 
 oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
+	hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O, %O", x, y);
 	return HCL_NULL;
 }
 
@@ -3867,7 +3867,7 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_gtints (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 	}
 
 oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
+	hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O, %O", x, y);
 	return HCL_NULL;
 }
 
@@ -3894,7 +3894,7 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_geints (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 	}
 
 oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
+	hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O, %O", x, y);
 	return HCL_NULL;
 }
 
@@ -3948,7 +3948,7 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_leints (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 	}
 
 oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
+	hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O, %O", x, y);
 	return HCL_NULL;
 }
 
@@ -3983,7 +3983,11 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_inttostr (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t num, int radix, int ngc)
 	}
 	HCL_ASSERT (hcl, radix >= 2 && radix <= 36);
 
-	if (!hcl_isint(hcl,num)) goto oops_einval;
+	if (!hcl_isint(hcl,num)) 
+	{
+		hcl_seterrbfmt (hcl, HCL_EINVAL, "parameter not integer - %O", num);
+		return HCL_NULL;
+	}
 	v = integer_to_oow(hcl, num, &w);
 
 	if (v)
@@ -4195,8 +4199,4 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_inttostr (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t num, int radix, int ngc)
 	}
 
 	return hcl_makestring(hcl, xbuf, xlen, ngc);
-
-oops_einval:
-	hcl_seterrnum (hcl, HCL_EINVAL);
-	return HCL_NULL;
 }
diff --git a/lib/hcl-prv.h b/lib/hcl-prv.h
index 282c6c9..e3df20f 100644
--- a/lib/hcl-prv.h
+++ b/lib/hcl-prv.h
@@ -997,6 +997,41 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_truncfpdecval (
 	hcl_ooi_t    ns  /* new scale */
 );
 
+hcl_oop_t hcl_gtnums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_genums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_ltnums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_lenums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_eqnums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_nenums (
+	hcl_t*       hcl,
+	hcl_oop_t    x,
+	hcl_oop_t    y
+);
 /* ========================================================================= */
 /* comp.c                                                                    */
 /* ========================================================================= */
diff --git a/lib/number.c b/lib/number.c
index 436a75f..396d96c 100644
--- a/lib/number.c
+++ b/lib/number.c
@@ -275,3 +275,60 @@ hcl_oop_t hcl_divnums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
 
 	return hcl_makefpdec(hcl, nv, xs);
 }
+
+static hcl_oop_t comp_nums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y, hcl_oop_t (*comper) (hcl_t*, hcl_oop_t, hcl_oop_t))
+{
+	if (!HCL_IS_FPDEC(hcl, x) && !HCL_IS_FPDEC(hcl, y))
+	{
+		/* both are probably integers */
+		return comper(hcl, x, y);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		hcl_oop_t v;
+		hcl_ooi_t scale;
+
+		hcl_pushtmp (hcl, &x);
+		hcl_pushtmp (hcl, &y);
+
+		scale = equalize_scale(hcl, &x, &y);
+		if (scale <= -1) 
+		{
+			hcl_poptmps (hcl, 2);
+			return HCL_NULL;
+		}
+		v = comper(hcl, ((hcl_oop_fpdec_t)x)->value, ((hcl_oop_fpdec_t)y)->value);
+		hcl_poptmps (hcl, 2);
+		return v;
+	}
+}
+
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_gtnums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_gtints);
+}
+hcl_oop_t hcl_genums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_geints);
+}
+
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_ltnums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_ltints);
+}
+hcl_oop_t hcl_lenums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_leints);
+}
+
+
+hcl_oop_t hcl_eqnums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_eqints);
+}
+hcl_oop_t hcl_nenums (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_oop_t x, hcl_oop_t y)
+{
+	return comp_nums(hcl, x, y, hcl_neints);
+}
diff --git a/lib/prim.c b/lib/prim.c
index 85511e3..134fac5 100644
--- a/lib/prim.c
+++ b/lib/prim.c
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_rem (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_gt (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_gtints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_gtnums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_gt (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_ge (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_geints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_genums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_ge (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_lt (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_ltints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_ltnums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_lt (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_le (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_leints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_lenums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_le (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_eq (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_eqints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_eqnums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_eq (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 static hcl_pfrc_t pf_integer_ne (hcl_t* hcl, hcl_mod_t* mod, hcl_ooi_t nargs)
 {
 	hcl_oop_t ret;
-	ret = hcl_neints(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
+	ret = hcl_nenums(hcl, HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 0), HCL_STACK_GETARG(hcl, nargs, 1));
 	if (!ret) return HCL_PF_FAILURE;
 
 	HCL_STACK_SETRET (hcl, nargs, ret);