diff --git a/doc_src/math.txt b/doc_src/math.txt
index a47d005ec224..1113ef7da14b 100644
--- a/doc_src/math.txt
+++ b/doc_src/math.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ The `math` command can evaluate multiple expressions separated by commas. The re
 
 The following options are available:
 
-- `-sN` or `--scale=N` sets the scale of the result. `N` must be an integer and defaults to zero (rounded to the nearest integer).
+- `-sN` or `--scale=N` sets the scale of the result. `N` must be an integer and defaults to zero. A scale of zero causes results to be rounded down to the nearest integer. So `3/2` returns `1` rather than `2` which `1.5` would normally round to. This is for compatibility with `bc` which was the basis for this command prior to fish 3.0.0. Scale values greater than zero causes the result to be rounded using the usual rules to the specified number of decimal places.
 
 \subsection return-values Return Values
 
diff --git a/src/builtin_math.cpp b/src/builtin_math.cpp
index f69ba163dd5e..cae45ba5861b 100644
--- a/src/builtin_math.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_math.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,11 @@ static int evaluate_expression(wchar_t *cmd, parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &str
         int nNum;
         mu::value_type *v = p.Eval(nNum);
         for (int i = 0; i < nNum; ++i) {
-            streams.out.append_format(L"%.*lf\n", opts.scale, v[i]);
+            if (opts.scale == 0) {
+                streams.out.append_format(L"%ld\n", static_cast<long>(v[i]));
+            } else {
+                streams.out.append_format(L"%.*lf\n", opts.scale, v[i]);
+            }
         }
 
         return STATUS_CMD_OK;