diff --git a/django/template/__init__.py b/django/template/__init__.py
index 678d19293ca..0d8990a42b6 100644
--- a/django/template/__init__.py
+++ b/django/template/__init__.py
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ UNKNOWN_SOURCE="<unknown source>"
 tag_re = re.compile('(%s.*?%s|%s.*?%s|%s.*?%s)' % (re.escape(BLOCK_TAG_START), re.escape(BLOCK_TAG_END),
                                           re.escape(VARIABLE_TAG_START), re.escape(VARIABLE_TAG_END),
                                           re.escape(COMMENT_TAG_START), re.escape(COMMENT_TAG_END)))
+# matches if the string is valid number
+number_re = re.compile(r'[-+]?(\d+|\d*\.\d+)$')
 
 # global dictionary of libraries that have been loaded using get_library
 libraries = {}
@@ -632,12 +634,9 @@ def resolve_variable(path, context):
 
     (The example assumes VARIABLE_ATTRIBUTE_SEPARATOR is '.')
     """
-    if path[0].isdigit():
+    if number_re.match(path):
         number_type = '.' in path and float or int
-        try:
-            current = number_type(path)
-        except ValueError:
-            current = settings.TEMPLATE_STRING_IF_INVALID
+        current = number_type(path)
     elif path[0] in ('"', "'") and path[0] == path[-1]:
         current = path[1:-1]
     else:
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
index 0165824951d..375fd361961 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/templates/tests.py
@@ -401,6 +401,20 @@ class Templates(unittest.TestCase):
             'ifequal-split09': (r"{% ifequal a 'slash\man' %}yes{% else %}no{% endifequal %}", {'a': r"slash\man"}, "yes"),
             'ifequal-split10': (r"{% ifequal a 'slash\man' %}yes{% else %}no{% endifequal %}", {'a': r"slashman"}, "no"),
 
+            # NUMERIC RESOLUTION
+            'ifequal-numeric01': ('{% ifequal x 5 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': '5'}, ''),
+            'ifequal-numeric02': ('{% ifequal x 5 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 5}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric03': ('{% ifequal x 5.2 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 5}, ''),
+            'ifequal-numeric04': ('{% ifequal x 5.2 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 5.2}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric05': ('{% ifequal x 0.2 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': .2}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric06': ('{% ifequal x .2 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': .2}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric07': ('{% ifequal x 2. %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 2}, ''),
+            'ifequal-numeric08': ('{% ifequal x "5" %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 5}, ''),
+            'ifequal-numeric09': ('{% ifequal x "5" %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': '5'}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric10': ('{% ifequal x -5 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': -5}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric11': ('{% ifequal x -5.2 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': -5.2}, 'yes'),
+            'ifequal-numeric12': ('{% ifequal x +5 %}yes{% endifequal %}', {'x': 5}, 'yes'),
+
             ### IFNOTEQUAL TAG ########################################################
             'ifnotequal01': ("{% ifnotequal a b %}yes{% endifnotequal %}", {"a": 1, "b": 2}, "yes"),
             'ifnotequal02': ("{% ifnotequal a b %}yes{% endifnotequal %}", {"a": 1, "b": 1}, ""),