--- a/src/oct-iostrm.h
+++ b/src/oct-iostrm.h
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
 
   octave_base_iostream (const std::string& n = std::string (),
 			std::ios::openmode m = std::ios::in|std::ios::out,
-			oct_mach_info::float_format ff =
-			oct_mach_info::flt_fmt_native)
+			oct_mach_info::float_format ff
+			  = oct_mach_info::native_float_format ())
     : octave_base_stream (m, ff), nm (n) { }
 
   // Position a stream at OFFSET relative to ORIGIN.
@@ -79,8 +79,10 @@
 public:
 
   octave_istream (std::istream *arg = 0, const std::string& n = std::string ())
-    : octave_base_iostream (n, std::ios::in, oct_mach_info::flt_fmt_native),
-      is (arg) { }
+    : octave_base_iostream (n, std::ios::in,
+			    oct_mach_info::native_float_format ()),
+      is (arg)
+  { }
 
   static octave_stream
   create (std::istream *arg = 0, const std::string& n = std::string ());
@@ -116,8 +118,10 @@
 public:
 
   octave_ostream (std::ostream *arg, const std::string& n = std::string ())
-    : octave_base_iostream (n, std::ios::out, oct_mach_info::flt_fmt_native),
-      os (arg) { }
+    : octave_base_iostream (n, std::ios::out,
+			    oct_mach_info::native_float_format ()),
+      os (arg)
+  { }
 
   static octave_stream
   create (std::ostream *arg, const std::string& n = std::string ());