--- a/core/src/luan/LuanBit.java	Mon May 04 15:43:36 2015 -0600
+++ b/core/src/luan/LuanBit.java	Mon May 04 16:21:17 2015 -0600
@@ -53,9 +53,8 @@
 	}
 
 	public Number checkNumber(Object obj) throws LuanException {
-		Number n = Luan.toNumber(obj);
-		if( n != null )
-			return n;
+		if( obj instanceof Number )
+			return (Number)obj;
 		if( el instanceof LuanSource.Element ) {
 			LuanSource.Element se = (LuanSource.Element)el;
 			throw exception( "attempt to perform arithmetic on '"+se.text()+"' (a " + Luan.type(obj) + " value)" );
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@
 		LuanFunction fn = getBinHandler(op,o1,o2);
 		if( fn != null )
 			return Luan.first(call(fn,op,new Object[]{o1,o2}));
-		String type = Luan.toNumber(o1)==null ? Luan.type(o1) : Luan.type(o2);
+		String type = !(o1 instanceof Number) ? Luan.type(o1) : Luan.type(o2);
 		throw exception("attempt to perform arithmetic on a "+type+" value");
 	}