diff --git a/base/mp_ds2csv.sas b/base/mp_ds2csv.sas
index 17c005a..f5cfcc2 100644
--- a/base/mp_ds2csv.sas
+++ b/base/mp_ds2csv.sas
@@ -118,13 +118,21 @@ data _null_;
     header = cats(coalescec(varlabel(dsid,i),varnm),dlm);
   %end;
   %else %if &headerformat=SASJS %then %do;
-    if vartype(dsid,i)='C' then header=cats(varnm,':$char',varlen(dsid,i),'.');
+    vlen=varlen(dsid,i);
+    if vartype(dsid,i)='C' then header=cats(varnm,':$char',vlen,'.');
     else do;
       vfmt=coalescec(varfmt(dsid,i),'0');
       fmttype=mcf_getfmttype(vfmt);
       if fmttype='DATE' then header=cats(varnm,':date9.');
       else if fmttype='DATETIME' then header=cats(varnm,':E8601DT26.6');
       else if fmttype='TIME' then header=cats(varnm,':TIME12.');
+      /**
+        * there is not much point importing a short length numeric like this,
+        * eg with best4., as the resulting variable will still be stored as
+        * length 8.  We need a length or format statement to ensure variable
+        * is creatd with the smaller length...
+        **/
+      else if vlen<8 then header=cats(varnm,':best',vlen,'.');
       else header=cats(varnm,':best.');
     end;
   %end;
@@ -151,6 +159,7 @@ data _null_;
   set &ds end=last;
 %do i=1 %to &vcnt;
   %let var=%scan(&varlist,&i);
+  %local vlen&i;
   %if %mf_getvartype(&ds,&var)=C %then %do;
     %let dsv1=%mf_getuniquename(prefix=csvcol1_);
     %let dsv2=%mf_getuniquename(prefix=csvcol2_);
diff --git a/tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.sas b/tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.1.sas
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.sas
rename to tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.1.sas
diff --git a/tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.2.sas b/tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.2.sas
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9edf0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/base/mp_ds2csv.test.2.sas
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/**
+  @file
+  @brief Testing mp_ds2csv.sas macro
+
+  <h4> SAS Macros </h4>
+  @li mp_ds2csv.sas
+  @li mp_assert.sas
+  @li mp_assertscope.sas
+
+**/
+
+data work.shortnum;
+  length a 3 b 4 c 8;
+  a=1;b=2;c=3;
+  output;
+  stop;
+run;
+
+/**
+  * Test 1 - default CSV
+  */
+
+%mp_ds2csv(work.shortnum,outfile="&sasjswork/test1.csv",headerformat=SASJS)
+
+%let test1b=FAIL;
+data _null_;
+  infile "&sasjswork/test1.csv";
+  input;
+  list;
+  if _n_=1 then call symputx('test1a',_infile_);
+  else if _infile_=:'1,2,3' then call symputx('test1b','PASS');
+run;
+
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=("&test1a"="A:best3. B:best4. C:best."),
+  desc=Checking header row Test 1,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)
+%mp_assert(
+  iftrue=("&test1b"="PASS"),
+  desc=Checking data row Test 1,
+  outds=work.test_results
+)