diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/numbers.c b/src/libespeak-ng/numbers.c
index 5da8632e..780fa4e1 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/numbers.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/numbers.c
@@ -1719,13 +1719,14 @@ static bool CheckThousandsGroup(char *word, int group_len)
 	// Is this a group of 3 digits which looks like a thousands group?
 	int ix;
 
-	if (IsDigit09(word[group_len]) || IsDigit09(-1))
-		return false;
-
 	for (ix = 0; ix < group_len; ix++) {
 		if (!IsDigit09(word[ix]))
 			return false;
 	}
+
+	if (IsDigit09(word[group_len]) || IsDigit09(-1))
+		return false;
+
 	return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/translate.test b/tests/translate.test
index 2f0d29e4..cf3a8be4 100755
--- a/tests/translate.test
+++ b/tests/translate.test
@@ -86,3 +86,6 @@ test_phon sk "bl'ax sm'eju:tsa s'a tv'a:R" "blah ☺"
 
 # bug: https://github.com/espeak-ng/espeak-ng/issues/853
 test_phon fr "profEs'Wr" "PR"
+
+# https://github.com/espeak-ng/espeak-ng/pull/1148
+test_phon fr "dY mil v'E~" "2020"