diff --git a/coreutils/od_bloaty.c b/coreutils/od_bloaty.c
index f13bdfc11..fa0196ca4 100644
--- a/coreutils/od_bloaty.c
+++ b/coreutils/od_bloaty.c
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ decode_one_format(const char *s_orig, const char *s, struct tspec *tspec)
 		fmt = FLOATING_POINT;
 		++s;
 		p = strchr(FDL, *s);
-		if (!p) {
+		if (!p || *p == '\0') {
 			size = sizeof(double);
 			if (isdigit(s[0])) {
 				size = bb_strtou(s, &end, 0);
@@ -686,6 +686,7 @@ decode_one_format(const char *s_orig, const char *s, struct tspec *tspec)
 			};
 
 			size = FDL_sizeof[p - FDL];
+			s++; /* skip F/D/L */
 		}
 
 		size_spec = fp_type_size[size];
diff --git a/testsuite/od.tests b/testsuite/od.tests
index 7a9da3e97..0880e0d2f 100755
--- a/testsuite/od.tests
+++ b/testsuite/od.tests
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@ testing "od -b" \
 	"" "HELLO"
 SKIP=
 
+optional DESKTOP
+testing "od -f" \
+	"od -f" \
+"\
+0000000   0.0000000e+00   0.0000000e+00
+0000010
+" \
+	"" "\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00"
+SKIP=
+
 optional DESKTOP LONG_OPTS
 testing "od -b --traditional" \
 	"od -b --traditional" \