diff --git a/src/state.c b/src/state.c
index 5583a77e5..e678b37f3 100644
--- a/src/state.c
+++ b/src/state.c
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ mrb_open_core(mrb_allocf f, void *ud)
 
   mrb_init_core(mrb);
 
+#if !defined(MRB_DISABLE_STDIO) && defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1900
+  _set_output_format(_TWO_DIGIT_EXPONENT);
+#endif
+
   return mrb;
 }