diff --git a/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/evaluate_reference_metrics.py b/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/evaluate_reference_metrics.py
index 049ebc3836..a1168442a5 100644
--- a/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/evaluate_reference_metrics.py
+++ b/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/evaluate_reference_metrics.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ def final_number_exact_match(gold: str, pred: str) -> float:
     """
 
     def get_final_number(x: str) -> str:
-        matches = re.findall(r"-?[\d,]+(?:.\d+)?", x)
+        matches = re.findall(r"-?[\d,]+(?:\.\d+)?", x)
         if not matches:
             return ""
         return matches[-1].replace(",", "")
diff --git a/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/test_evaluate_reference_metrics.py b/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/test_evaluate_reference_metrics.py
index a4325aa839..a2996cb96b 100644
--- a/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/test_evaluate_reference_metrics.py
+++ b/src/helm/benchmark/metrics/test_evaluate_reference_metrics.py
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ def test_final_number_exact_match():
     assert final_number_exact_match("34.2", "2") == 0
     assert final_number_exact_match("342", "342.") == 1
     assert final_number_exact_match("3,420", "3420") == 1
+    # A non-digit, non-dot character between digits must not be treated as part of a number.
+    assert final_number_exact_match("30", "the meeting is at 7:30") == 1
+    assert final_number_exact_match("3", "the grid is 2x3") == 1
 
 
 def test_bleu_1():