diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f364f62f7..d714dcdf2 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ current values of file descriptors 0, 1, and 2 in the parent process.
 
 There is no such concept as a weak binding any more.
 
-** Removed constants:  most-positive-fixnum, most-negative-fixnum, bignum-radix
+** Removed constants:  bignum-radix
 
 * Changes to the gh_ interface
 
diff --git a/libguile/ChangeLog b/libguile/ChangeLog
index dfd554b8c..c56656314 100644
--- a/libguile/ChangeLog
+++ b/libguile/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2000-12-13  Dirk Herrmann  <D.Herrmann@tu-bs.de>
+
+	* numbers.c (scm_init_numbers):  Re-introduced bindings for
+	most-positive-fixnum and most-negative-fixnum as requested by
+	Mikael Djurfeldt.
+
 2000-12-12  Dirk Herrmann  <D.Herrmann@tu-bs.de>
 
 	The variable scm_symbols is made static within symbols.c and
diff --git a/libguile/numbers.c b/libguile/numbers.c
index 022c34cd9..e72d734a4 100644
--- a/libguile/numbers.c
+++ b/libguile/numbers.c
@@ -4353,6 +4353,13 @@ scm_num2ulong (SCM num, char *pos, const char *s_caller)
 void
 scm_init_numbers ()
 {
+  /* It may be possible to tune the performance of some algorithms by using
+   * the following constants to avoid the creation of bignums.  Please, before
+   * using these values, remember the two rules of program optimization:
+   * 1st Rule:  Don't do it.  2nd Rule (experts only):  Don't do it yet. */
+  scm_sysintern ("most-positive-fixnum", SCM_MAKINUM (SCM_MOST_POSITIVE_FIXNUM));
+  scm_sysintern ("most-negative-fixnum", SCM_MAKINUM (SCM_MOST_NEGATIVE_FIXNUM));
+
   scm_add_feature ("complex");
   scm_add_feature ("inexact");
   scm_flo0 = scm_make_real (0.0);