diff --git a/src/register.c b/src/register.c
index 2e838402b688878c97a751de0d4c8ca125b4c45e..267f9b38324b34aa7eed581ba8eb9ce0d6597187 100644
--- a/src/register.c
+++ b/src/register.c
@@ -1188,6 +1188,9 @@ op_yank(oparg_T *oap, int deleting, int mess)
 				// double-count it.
 				bd.startspaces = (ce - cs + 1)
 							  - oap->start.coladd;
+				if (bd.startspaces < 0){
+				    bd.startspaces = 0;
+				}
 				startcol++;
 			    }
 			}