diff --git a/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php b/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
index b3c1cebdde0..243f29dbeb6 100644
--- a/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
+++ b/lib/dml/mysqli_native_moodle_database.php
@@ -579,6 +579,10 @@ class mysqli_native_moodle_database extends moodle_database {
             if ($column->meta_type == 'I' or $column->meta_type == 'F' or $column->meta_type == 'N') {
                 $value = 0; // prevent '' problems in numeric fields
             }
+        // Any float value being stored in varchar or text field is converted to string to avoid
+        // any implicit conversion by MySQL
+        } else if (is_float($value) and ($column->meta_type == 'C' or $column->meta_type == 'X')) {
+            $value = "$value";
         }
         // workaround for problem with wrong enums in mysql - TODO: Out in Moodle 2.1
         if (!empty($column->enums)) {
diff --git a/lib/dml/simpletest/testdml.php b/lib/dml/simpletest/testdml.php
index 50dd51797ee..6d9a0713bb8 100644
--- a/lib/dml/simpletest/testdml.php
+++ b/lib/dml/simpletest/testdml.php
@@ -1726,6 +1726,34 @@ class dml_test extends UnitTestCase {
         $DB->delete_records($tablename, array());
         $id4 = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('course' => 3));
         $this->assertTrue($id3 < $id4);
+
+        // Test saving a float in a CHAR column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1.0));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1e20));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1e-4));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1e-5));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1e-300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 1e300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+
+        // Test saving a float in a TEXT column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1.0));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1e20));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1e-4));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1e-5));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1e-300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 1e300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
     }
 
     public function test_import_record() {
@@ -2098,6 +2126,35 @@ class dml_test extends UnitTestCase {
         $this->assertEqual($newclob, $record->onetext, 'Test "small" CLOB update (full contents output disabled)');
         $this->assertEqual($newblob, $record->onebinary, 'Test "small" BLOB update (full contents output disabled)');
 
+        // Test saving a float in a CHAR column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 'X'));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1.0));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1e20));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1e-4));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1e-5));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1e-300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onechar' => 1e300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+
+        // Test saving a float in a TEXT column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 'X'));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1.0));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1e20));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1e-4));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1e-5));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1e-300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->update_record($tablename, array('id' => $id, 'onetext' => 1e300));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
     }
 
     public function test_set_field() {
@@ -2163,6 +2220,36 @@ class dml_test extends UnitTestCase {
             $this->assertEqual($e->errorcode, 'textconditionsnotallowed');
         }
 
+        // Test saving a float in a CHAR column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onechar' => 'X'));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1.0, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1e20, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1e-4, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1e-5, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1e-300, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onechar', 1e300, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onechar', array('id' => $id)));
+
+        // Test saving a float in a TEXT column, and reading it back.
+        $id = $DB->insert_record($tablename, array('onetext' => 'X'));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1.0, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1.0, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1e20, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e20, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1e-4, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-4, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1e-5, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-5, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1e-300, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e-300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+        $DB->set_field($tablename, 'onetext', 1e300, array('id' => $id));
+        $this->assertEqual(1e300, $DB->get_field($tablename, 'onetext', array('id' => $id)));
+
         // Note: All the nulls, booleans, empties, quoted and backslashes tests
         // go to set_field_select() because set_field() is just one wrapper over it
     }