diff --git a/editline/hist.c b/editline/hist.c
index 094a2411b7ac67e7b857999f214ada4819e8851f..b9eb92480ec34017b40630ca1806f00049628a37 100755
--- a/editline/hist.c
+++ b/editline/hist.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ hist_get(EditLine *el)
 	if (el->el_line.lastchar > el->el_line.buffer) {
 		if (el->el_line.lastchar[-1] == '\n')
 			el->el_line.lastchar--;
-		if (el->el_line.lastchar[-1] == ' ')
+		if ((el->el_line.lastchar > el->el_line.buffer)&&(el->el_line.lastchar[-1] == ' ')) /* bill heckel */
 			el->el_line.lastchar--;
 		if (el->el_line.lastchar < el->el_line.buffer)
 			el->el_line.lastchar = el->el_line.buffer;