diff --git a/toke.c b/toke.c
index c14dc0d477..32fe3cf97b 100644
--- a/toke.c
+++ b/toke.c
@@ -12500,8 +12500,16 @@ Perl_scan_num(pTHX_ const char *start, YYSTYPE* lvalp)
     /* We use the first character to decide what type of number this is */
 
     switch (*s) {
-    default:
-        croak("panic: scan_num, *s=%d", *s);
+    /* if it starts with a v, it could be a v-string */
+    case 'v':
+    vstring:
+        sv = newSV(5); /* preallocate storage space */
+        ENTER_with_name("scan_vstring");
+        SAVEFREESV(sv);
+        s = scan_vstring(s, PL_bufend, sv);
+        SvREFCNT_inc_simple_void_NN(sv);
+        LEAVE_with_name("scan_vstring");
+        break;
 
     /* if it starts with a 0, it could be an octal number, a decimal in
        0.13 disguise, or a hexadecimal number, or a binary number. */
@@ -13074,16 +13082,8 @@ Perl_scan_num(pTHX_ const char *start, YYSTYPE* lvalp)
         }
         break;
 
-    /* if it starts with a v, it could be a v-string */
-    case 'v':
-    vstring:
-                sv = newSV(5); /* preallocate storage space */
-                ENTER_with_name("scan_vstring");
-                SAVEFREESV(sv);
-                s = scan_vstring(s, PL_bufend, sv);
-                SvREFCNT_inc_simple_void_NN(sv);
-                LEAVE_with_name("scan_vstring");
-        break;
+    default:
+        croak("panic: scan_num, *s=%c", *s);
     }
 
     /* make the op for the constant and return */