diff --git a/Modules/mathmodule.c b/Modules/mathmodule.c
index 2d896e7fe333a4..2f29735df011e7 100644
--- a/Modules/mathmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/mathmodule.c
@@ -1125,8 +1125,13 @@ static PyObject *
 math_ceil(PyObject *module, PyObject *number)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=6c3b8a78bc201c67 input=2725352806399cab]*/
 {
+    double x;
 
-    if (!PyFloat_CheckExact(number)) {
+    if (PyFloat_CheckExact(number)) {
+        x = PyFloat_AS_DOUBLE(number);
+    }
+    else
+    {
         math_module_state *state = get_math_module_state(module);
         PyObject *method = _PyObject_LookupSpecial(number, state->str___ceil__);
         if (method != NULL) {
@@ -1136,11 +1141,10 @@ math_ceil(PyObject *module, PyObject *number)
         }
         if (PyErr_Occurred())
             return NULL;
+        x = PyFloat_AsDouble(number);
+        if (x == -1.0 && PyErr_Occurred())
+            return NULL;
     }
-    double x = PyFloat_AsDouble(number);
-    if (x == -1.0 && PyErr_Occurred())
-        return NULL;
-
     return PyLong_FromDouble(ceil(x));
 }