Malcolm Turnbull will have to wait another two weeks to find out if he has 76 or 77 seats in parliament.
The Australian Electoral Commission has decided to do a full recount in the Queensland seat of Herbert after the initial count ended with Labor's Cathy O'Toole just eight votes ahead of the sitting coalition MP Ewen Jones.
The recount is set to start on Thursday and will take two weeks.
Any margin less than 100 votes is cause for an automatic recount.
The AEC said the recount would involve a count of all first preference votes and a re-examination of informal votes, a two-candidate preferred count and a full distribution of preferences.
"Proceeding directly to conducting a recount will help ensure the AEC provides clarity on the result for the candidates and the electors of Herbert as soon as possible," the commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
The AEC has until August 8 to return the writs.
Having 77 members in the House of Representatives will give Mr Turnbull the ability to appoint a Liberal MP as Speaker while still retaining an absolute majority on the floor of parliament.
Mr Jones previously held Herbert, based on the north Queensland city of Townsville, with a margin of just over six per cent.
The new parliament is due to sit on August 30.
