diff --git a/lib/libI77/wref.c b/lib/libI77/wref.c
index 21485a453329..0adcccce137b 100644
--- a/lib/libI77/wref.c
+++ b/lib/libI77/wref.c
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ int wrt_E(ufloat *p, int w, int d, int e, ftnlen len)
 	/* accommodate 3 significant digits in exponent */
 	if (s[2]) {
 #ifdef Pedantic
-		if (!e0 && !s[3])
-			for(s -= 2, e1 = 2; s[0] = s[1]; s++);
+		if (!e0 && !s[3]) 
+		        e1 = 2; /* for(s -= 2, e1 = 2; s[0] = s[1]; s++); */
 
 	/* Pedantic gives the behavior that Fortran 77 specifies,	*/
 	/* i.e., requires that E be specified for exponent fields	*/