diff --git a/extra/math/text/english/english.factor b/extra/math/text/english/english.factor
index 6ed17354a4..7f5387cb2c 100644
--- a/extra/math/text/english/english.factor
+++ b/extra/math/text/english/english.factor
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ SYMBOL: and-needed?
 
 PRIVATE>
 
-: number>text ( n -- str )
-    dup zero? [ small-numbers ] [ [ (number>text) ] with-scope ] if ;
+GENERIC: number>text ( n -- str )
+
+M: integer number>text
+    [ "zero" ] [ [ (number>text) ] with-scope ] if-zero ;
 
diff --git a/extra/math/text/french/french.factor b/extra/math/text/french/french.factor
index 78af45c66b..5b6f9039a3 100644
--- a/extra/math/text/french/french.factor
+++ b/extra/math/text/french/french.factor
@@ -90,5 +90,7 @@ MEMO: units ( -- seq ) ! up to 10^99
 
 PRIVATE>
 
-: number>text ( n -- str )
-    dup abs 10 102 ^ >= [ number>string ] [ basic ] if ;
+GENERIC: number>text ( n -- str )
+
+M: integer number>text
+    dup abs 102 10^ >= [ number>string ] [ basic ] if ;