diff --git a/Lib/test/test_float.py b/Lib/test/test_float.py
index 0de65cb1a58..b9ad8c5ce7c 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_float.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_float.py
@@ -133,13 +133,10 @@ class FormatTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(format(0.01, ''), '0.01')
         self.assertEqual(format(0.01, 'g'), '0.01')
 
-        self.assertEqual(format(0, 'f'), '0.000000')
 
         self.assertEqual(format(1.0, 'f'), '1.000000')
-        self.assertEqual(format(1, 'f'), '1.000000')
 
         self.assertEqual(format(-1.0, 'f'), '-1.000000')
-        self.assertEqual(format(-1, 'f'), '-1.000000')
 
         self.assertEqual(format( 1.0, ' f'), ' 1.000000')
         self.assertEqual(format(-1.0, ' f'), '-1.000000')
@@ -152,6 +149,18 @@ class FormatTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         # conversion to string should fail
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 3.0, "s")
 
+        # other format specifiers shouldn't work on floats,
+        #  in particular int specifiers
+        for format_spec in ([chr(x) for x in range(ord('a'), ord('z')+1)] +
+                            [chr(x) for x in range(ord('A'), ord('Z')+1)]):
+            if not format_spec in 'eEfFgGn%':
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 0.0, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 1.0, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, -1.0, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 1e100, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, -1e100, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 1e-100, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, -1e-100, format_spec)
 
 class ReprTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_repr(self):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_long.py b/Lib/test/test_long.py
index 18bb7a45956..2c9e2d098a3 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_long.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_long.py
@@ -526,16 +526,21 @@ class LongTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(format(1234, "+b"), "+10011010010")
         self.assertEqual(format(-1234, "+b"), "-10011010010")
 
-        # conversion to float
-        self.assertEqual(format(0, 'f'), '0.000000')
-
         # make sure these are errors
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 3, "1.3")  # precision disallowed
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 3, "+c")   # sign not allowed
                                                          # with 'c'
-        self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 3, "R")    # bogus format type
-        # conversion to string should fail
-        self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 3, "s")
+        # other format specifiers shouldn't work on ints,
+        #  in particular float and string specifiers
+        for format_spec in ([chr(x) for x in range(ord('a'), ord('z')+1)] +
+                            [chr(x) for x in range(ord('A'), ord('Z')+1)]):
+            if not format_spec in 'bcdoxX':
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 0, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 1, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, -1, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, 2**100, format_spec)
+                self.assertRaises(ValueError, format, -(2**100), format_spec)
+
 
     def test_nan_inf(self):
         self.assertRaises(OverflowError, int, float('inf'))
diff --git a/Objects/stringlib/formatter.h b/Objects/stringlib/formatter.h
index b4f6e3c0189..49b3566796e 100644
--- a/Objects/stringlib/formatter.h
+++ b/Objects/stringlib/formatter.h
@@ -788,37 +788,6 @@ FORMAT_STRING(PyObject* value, PyObject* args)
         /* no type conversion needed, already a string.  do the formatting */
         result = format_string_internal(value, &format);
         break;
-#if 0
-    case 'b':
-    case 'c':
-    case 'd':
-    case 'o':
-    case 'x':
-    case 'X':
-        /* convert to integer */
-        /* XXX: make a stringlib function to do this when backporting,
-           since FromUnicode differs from FromString */
-        tmp = PyLong_FromUnicode(STRINGLIB_STR(value), STRINGLIB_LEN(value), 0);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_long_internal(tmp, &format);
-        break;
-
-    case 'e':
-    case 'E':
-    case 'f':
-    case 'F':
-    case 'g':
-    case 'G':
-    case 'n':
-    case '%':
-        /* convert to float */
-        tmp = PyFloat_FromString(value);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_float_internal(tmp, &format);
-        break;
-#endif
     default:
         /* unknown */
         PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError, "Unknown conversion type %c",
@@ -855,15 +824,6 @@ FORMAT_LONG(PyObject* value, PyObject* args)
 
     /* type conversion? */
     switch (format.type) {
-#if 0
-    case 's':
-        /* convert to string/unicode */
-        tmp = STRINGLIB_TOSTR(value);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_string_internal(tmp, &format);
-        break;
-#endif
     case 'b':
     case 'c':
     case 'd':
@@ -874,21 +834,6 @@ FORMAT_LONG(PyObject* value, PyObject* args)
         result = format_long_internal(value, &format);
         break;
 
-    case 'e':
-    case 'E':
-    case 'f':
-    case 'F':
-    case 'g':
-    case 'G':
-    case 'n':
-    case '%':
-        /* convert to float */
-        tmp = PyNumber_Float(value);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_float_internal(value, &format);
-        break;
-
     default:
         /* unknown */
         PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError, "Unknown conversion type %c",
@@ -925,28 +870,6 @@ FORMAT_FLOAT(PyObject *value, PyObject *args)
 
     /* type conversion? */
     switch (format.type) {
-#if 0
-    case 's':
-        /* convert to string/unicode */
-        tmp = STRINGLIB_TOSTR(value);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_string_internal(tmp, &format);
-        break;
-#endif
-    case 'b':
-    case 'c':
-    case 'd':
-    case 'o':
-    case 'x':
-    case 'X':
-        /* convert to integer */
-        tmp = PyNumber_Long(value);
-        if (tmp == NULL)
-            goto done;
-        result = format_long_internal(tmp, &format);
-        break;
-
     case 'e':
     case 'E':
     case 'f':