diff --git a/pkgs/math-pkgs/math-lib/math/private/flonum/flonum-exp.rkt b/pkgs/math-pkgs/math-lib/math/private/flonum/flonum-exp.rkt
index ab1eda5a1c..2642c98878 100644
--- a/pkgs/math-pkgs/math-lib/math/private/flonum/flonum-exp.rkt
+++ b/pkgs/math-pkgs/math-lib/math/private/flonum/flonum-exp.rkt
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
          "flonum-polyfun.rkt"
          "../unsafe.rkt")
 
-(provide flexpm1 flexpsqr flgauss flexp1p flexp2)
+(provide flexpm1 flexpsqr flgauss flexp1p flexp2 flpow2near)
 
 (define expm1-poly-numer
   (make-flpolyfun
@@ -105,4 +105,8 @@
              (unsafe-vector-ref flexp2s (fl->exact-integer (fl+ x 1074.0))))]
           [else  (flexpt 2.0 x)]))
   
+  (: flpow2near (-> Flonum Flonum))
+  (define (flpow2near a)
+    (flexp2 (flmax -1074.0 (flmin 1023.0 (flround (fl/ (fllog (flabs a)) (fllog 2.0)))))))
+  
   )  ; begin-encourage-inline