diff --git a/src/math/big/float.go b/src/math/big/float.go
index ed55e8e513..35ad2567e7 100644
--- a/src/math/big/float.go
+++ b/src/math/big/float.go
@@ -71,6 +71,11 @@ type ErrNaN struct {
 	msg string
 }
 
+// ErrNan implements the error interface.
+func (err ErrNaN) Error() string {
+	return err.msg
+}
+
 // NewFloat allocates and returns a new Float set to x,
 // with precision 53 and rounding mode ToNearestEven.
 // NewFloat panics with ErrNaN if x is a NaN.
diff --git a/src/math/big/float_test.go b/src/math/big/float_test.go
index 2a48ec4465..5b5a0247b1 100644
--- a/src/math/big/float_test.go
+++ b/src/math/big/float_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 )
 
+// Verify that ErrNaN implements the error interface.
+var _ error = ErrNaN{}
+
 func (x *Float) uint64() uint64 {
 	u, acc := x.Uint64()
 	if acc != Exact {