diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index c52d14d..2c5dae1 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -220,10 +220,23 @@ impl<T: Clone + Float> Complex<T> {
     /// The branch satisfies `-π/2 ≤ arg(sqrt(z)) ≤ π/2`.
     #[inline]
     pub fn sqrt(&self) -> Self {
-        // formula: sqrt(r e^(it)) = sqrt(r) e^(it/2)
-        let two = T::one() + T::one();
-        let (r, theta) = self.to_polar();
-        Self::from_polar(&(r.sqrt()), &(theta / two))
+        if self.im.is_zero() {
+            if self.re.is_sign_positive() {
+                // simple positive real √r, and copy `im` for its sign
+                Self::new(self.re.sqrt(), self.im)
+            } else if self.im.is_sign_positive() {
+                // √(r e^(iπ)) = √r e^(iπ/2) = i√r
+                Self::new(T::zero(), self.re.abs().sqrt())
+            } else {
+                // √(r e^(-iπ)) = √r e^(-iπ/2) = -i√r
+                Self::new(T::zero(), -self.re.abs().sqrt())
+            }
+        } else {
+            // formula: sqrt(r e^(it)) = sqrt(r) e^(it/2)
+            let two = T::one() + T::one();
+            let (r, theta) = self.to_polar();
+            Self::from_polar(&(r.sqrt()), &(theta / two))
+        }
     }
 
     /// Raises `self` to a floating point power.
@@ -1690,6 +1703,18 @@ mod test {
             }
         }
 
+        #[test]
+        fn test_sqrt_real() {
+            for n in (0..100).map(f64::from) {
+                // √(n² + 0i) = n + 0i
+                assert_eq!(Complex64::new(n * n, 0.0).sqrt(), Complex64::new(n, 0.0));
+                // √(-n² + 0i) = 0 + ni
+                assert_eq!(Complex64::new(-n * n, 0.0).sqrt(), Complex64::new(0.0, n));
+                // √(-n² - 0i) = 0 - ni
+                assert_eq!(Complex64::new(-n * n, -0.0).sqrt(), Complex64::new(0.0, -n));
+            }
+        }
+
         #[test]
         fn test_sin() {
             assert!(close(_0_0i.sin(), _0_0i));