diff --git a/Sources/FoundationEssentials/Decimal/Decimal+Conformances.swift b/Sources/FoundationEssentials/Decimal/Decimal+Conformances.swift
index 7cc28217d..9f3131126 100644
--- a/Sources/FoundationEssentials/Decimal/Decimal+Conformances.swift
+++ b/Sources/FoundationEssentials/Decimal/Decimal+Conformances.swift
@@ -251,8 +251,11 @@ extension Decimal /* : FloatingPoint */ {
                 self = .nan
             }
         }
-        if sign == .minus {
-            negate()
+
+        guard self._length != 0 else { return }
+        _isNegative = switch sign {
+        case .plus: 0
+        case .minus: 1
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/Tests/FoundationEssentialsTests/DecimalTests.swift b/Tests/FoundationEssentialsTests/DecimalTests.swift
index b6c958f7d..db8b1d2e9 100644
--- a/Tests/FoundationEssentialsTests/DecimalTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/FoundationEssentialsTests/DecimalTests.swift
@@ -1130,9 +1130,9 @@ final class DecimalTests : XCTestCase {
         var x = -42 as Decimal
         XCTAssertEqual(x.significand.sign, .plus)
         var y = Decimal(sign: .plus, exponent: 0, significand: x)
-        XCTAssertEqual(y, -42)
-        y = Decimal(sign: .minus, exponent: 0, significand: x)
         XCTAssertEqual(y, 42)
+        y = Decimal(sign: .minus, exponent: 0, significand: x)
+        XCTAssertEqual(y, -42)
 
         x = 42 as Decimal
         XCTAssertEqual(x.significand.sign, .plus)