diff --git a/boto3/dynamodb/types.py b/boto3/dynamodb/types.py
index f358b12f55..2ee9925072 100644
--- a/boto3/dynamodb/types.py
+++ b/boto3/dynamodb/types.py
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@
     traps=[Clamped, Overflow, Inexact, Rounded, Underflow],
 )
 
+# Context used to normalize numbers before applying DYNAMODB_CONTEXT.
+# This removes trailing zeros so that a number like
+# '1234567895171680000000000000000000000000' (16 significant digits but
+# 40 characters) is first normalized to '1.23456789517168E+39' before
+# being validated against the 38-digit precision limit.  The wider
+# precision (100) ensures that normalization itself never loses
+# significant digits.
+_NORMALIZE_CONTEXT = Context(Emin=-128, Emax=126, prec=100, traps=[])
+
 
 BINARY_TYPES = (bytearray, bytes)
 
@@ -211,7 +220,11 @@ def _serialize_bool(self, value):
         return value
 
     def _serialize_n(self, value):
-        number = str(DYNAMODB_CONTEXT.create_decimal(value))
+        number = str(
+            DYNAMODB_CONTEXT.create_decimal(
+                _NORMALIZE_CONTEXT.normalize(Decimal(value))
+            )
+        )
         if number in ['Infinity', 'NaN']:
             raise TypeError('Infinity and NaN not supported')
         return number
@@ -286,7 +299,9 @@ def _deserialize_bool(self, value):
         return value
 
     def _deserialize_n(self, value):
-        return DYNAMODB_CONTEXT.create_decimal(value)
+        return DYNAMODB_CONTEXT.create_decimal(
+            _NORMALIZE_CONTEXT.normalize(Decimal(value))
+        )
 
     def _deserialize_s(self, value):
         return value
diff --git a/tests/unit/dynamodb/test_types.py b/tests/unit/dynamodb/test_types.py
index 0a6c2a07f3..3a44f1927b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/dynamodb/test_types.py
+++ b/tests/unit/dynamodb/test_types.py
@@ -144,6 +144,20 @@ def test_serialize_map(self):
         }
 
 
+    def test_serialize_integer_with_trailing_zeros(self):
+        # Integers with trailing zeros whose string representation exceeds
+        # 38 characters but whose significant digits fit within the 38-digit
+        # precision limit should serialize without error.  See GitHub #4693.
+        assert self.serializer.serialize(
+            1234567895171680000000000000000000000000
+        ) == {'N': '1.23456789517168E+39'}
+
+    def test_serialize_decimal_with_trailing_zeros(self):
+        assert self.serializer.serialize(
+            Decimal('1234567895171680000000000000000000000000')
+        ) == {'N': '1.23456789517168E+39'}
+
+
 class TestDeserializer(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.deserializer = TypeDeserializer()
@@ -206,3 +220,22 @@ def test_deserialize_map(self):
                 }
             }
         ) == {'foo': 'mystring', 'bar': {'baz': Decimal('1')}}
+
+    def test_deserialize_number_with_trailing_zeros(self):
+        # Numbers with trailing zeros whose string representation exceeds
+        # 38 characters but whose significant digits fit within the 38-digit
+        # precision limit should deserialize without error.  See GitHub #4693.
+        assert self.deserializer.deserialize(
+            {'N': '1234567895171680000000000000000000000000'}
+        ) == Decimal('1.23456789517168E+39')
+
+    def test_deserialize_negative_number_with_trailing_zeros(self):
+        assert self.deserializer.deserialize(
+            {'N': '-1234567895171680000000000000000000000000'}
+        ) == Decimal('-1.23456789517168E+39')
+
+    def test_deserialize_number_set_with_trailing_zeros(self):
+        assert self.deserializer.deserialize(
+            {'NS': ['1234567895171680000000000000000000000000', '1']}
+        ) == {Decimal('1.23456789517168E+39'), Decimal('1')}
+