diff --git a/builtins.go b/builtins.go
index a4855fea..f64788fc 100644
--- a/builtins.go
+++ b/builtins.go
@@ -1194,6 +1194,16 @@ var builtinIsDecimal = liftNumericToBoolean(func(f float64) bool {
 	return frac != 0
 })
 
+// IEEE-754 double precision floats can safely store integers in the range [-2**53+1, 2**53-1].
+// We restrict bitwise operations to arguments in this range, since operating on larger values is
+// likely to be a mistake.
+// https://jsonnet.org/ref/language.html#number
+// See also Javascript Number.{MIN_SAFE_INTEGER,MAX_SAFE_INTEGER}
+const (
+	maxSafeIntValue float64 = (1 << 53) - 1
+	minSafeIntValue float64 = -maxSafeIntValue
+)
+
 func liftBitwise(f func(int64, int64) int64, positiveRightArg bool) func(*interpreter, value, value) (value, error) {
 	return func(i *interpreter, xv, yv value) (value, error) {
 		x, err := i.getNumber(xv)
@@ -1204,12 +1214,12 @@ func liftBitwise(f func(int64, int64) int64, positiveRightArg bool) func(*interp
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		if x.value < math.MinInt64 || x.value > math.MaxInt64 {
-			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Bitwise operator argument %v outside of range [%v, %v]", x.value, int64(math.MinInt64), int64(math.MaxInt64))
+		if x.value < minSafeIntValue || x.value > maxSafeIntValue {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Bitwise operator argument %v outside of range [%v, %v]", x.value, int64(minSafeIntValue), int64(maxSafeIntValue))
 			return nil, makeRuntimeError(msg, i.getCurrentStackTrace())
 		}
-		if y.value < math.MinInt64 || y.value > math.MaxInt64 {
-			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Bitwise operator argument %v outside of range [%v, %v]", y.value, int64(math.MinInt64), int64(math.MaxInt64))
+		if y.value < minSafeIntValue || y.value > maxSafeIntValue {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Bitwise operator argument %v outside of range [%v, %v]", y.value, int64(minSafeIntValue), int64(maxSafeIntValue))
 			return nil, makeRuntimeError(msg, i.getCurrentStackTrace())
 		}
 		if positiveRightArg && y.value < 0 {
diff --git a/testdata/bitwise_and3.golden b/testdata/bitwise_and3.golden
index c71c5212..62658937 100644
--- a/testdata/bitwise_and3.golden
+++ b/testdata/bitwise_and3.golden
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-RUNTIME ERROR: Bitwise operator argument 1e+30 outside of range [-9223372036854775808, 9223372036854775807]
+RUNTIME ERROR: Bitwise operator argument 1e+30 outside of range [-9007199254740991, 9007199254740991]
 -------------------------------------------------
 	testdata/bitwise_and3:1:1-10	$
 
diff --git a/testdata/bitwise_and7.golden b/testdata/bitwise_and7.golden
index 788ba283..7a77fb36 100644
--- a/testdata/bitwise_and7.golden
+++ b/testdata/bitwise_and7.golden
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-RUNTIME ERROR: Bitwise operator argument -1e+20 outside of range [-9223372036854775808, 9223372036854775807]
+RUNTIME ERROR: Bitwise operator argument -1e+20 outside of range [-9007199254740991, 9007199254740991]
 -------------------------------------------------
 	testdata/bitwise_and7:1:1-11	$
 
diff --git a/testdata/bitwise_or9.golden b/testdata/bitwise_or9.golden
index aef5454e..3bcdce0e 100644
--- a/testdata/bitwise_or9.golden
+++ b/testdata/bitwise_or9.golden
@@ -1 +1,10 @@
-4611686018427387904
+RUNTIME ERROR: Bitwise operator argument 4.611686018427388e+18 outside of range [-9007199254740991, 9007199254740991]
+-------------------------------------------------
+	testdata/bitwise_or9:1:1-14	$
+
+(1 << 62) | 1
+
+-------------------------------------------------
+	During evaluation	
+
+