diff --git a/src/debug.c b/src/debug.c
index 46c81a59ca..b08d0a58c7 100644
--- a/src/debug.c
+++ b/src/debug.c
@@ -3203,6 +3203,8 @@ PDB_assign(PARROT_INTERP, ARGIN(const char *command))
     // TODO check validity of these
     register_num   = get_ulong(&command, 0);
 
+    // Currently we can only assign to registers that already have
+    // been brought into existence by the debuggee, why?
     switch (reg_type) {
         case 'I':
                 t         = REGNO_INT;
@@ -3212,6 +3214,7 @@ PDB_assign(PARROT_INTERP, ARGIN(const char *command))
                 break;
         case 'N':
                 t = REGNO_NUM;
+                value_float = atof(command);
                 REG_NUM(interp,register_num) =  value_float;
                 break;
         case 'S':
diff --git a/t/tools/parrot_debugger.t b/t/tools/parrot_debugger.t
index b294ea4561..4bfc92314e 100644
--- a/t/tools/parrot_debugger.t
+++ b/t/tools/parrot_debugger.t
@@ -240,7 +240,13 @@ pdb_output_like( <<PIR, "pir", "a foo", qr/Must give a register number and value
 .end
 PIR
 
-BEGIN { $tests += 37 }
+pdb_output_like( <<PIR, "pir", "t\na N0 3.14", qr/N0 = 3.14/, 'assign to a numeric register');
+.sub main :main
+    \$N0 = 9.99
+.end
+PIR
+
+BEGIN { $tests += 38 }
 
 BEGIN { plan tests => $tests; }