diff --git a/collects/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt b/collects/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
index 0ebfbc61dd..440b23c044 100644
--- a/collects/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
+++ b/collects/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ to delegate to the scheme-lexer (in the 'no-lang-line mode).
   (cond
     [(or (not mode) (eq? mode 'before-lang-line))
      (define lexer-port (peeking-input-port in #:init-position (+ 1 (file-position in))))
-     (port-count-lines! lexer-port)
+     (let-values ([(line col pos) (port-next-location in)])
+       (when line 
+         (port-count-lines! lexer-port)))
      (set-port-next-location-from in lexer-port)
      (define-values (lexeme type data new-token-start new-token-end) (scheme-lexer lexer-port))
      (cond
@@ -39,7 +41,9 @@ to delegate to the scheme-lexer (in the 'no-lang-line mode).
        [else
         ;; look for #lang:
         (define p (peeking-input-port in #:init-position (+ 1 (file-position in))))
-        (port-count-lines! p)
+        (let-values ([(line col pos) (port-next-location in)])
+          (when line 
+            (port-count-lines! p)))
         (set-port-next-location-from in p)
         (define-values (_1 _2 start-pos) (port-next-location p))
         (define get-info (with-handlers ([exn:fail? values]) (read-language p (λ () 'fail))))
diff --git a/collects/tests/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt b/collects/tests/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
index b48f5ad1cc..04f949dc9a 100644
--- a/collects/tests/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
+++ b/collects/tests/syntax-color/module-lexer.rkt
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 (require syntax-color/module-lexer
          rackunit)
 
-(define (lex str)
+(define (lex str count?)
   (define p (open-input-string str))
-  (port-count-lines! p)
+  (when count? (port-count-lines! p))
   (let loop ([mode #f]
              [n 0])
     (define-values (lexeme type data token-start token-end backup new-mode)
@@ -35,37 +35,37 @@
           (same? (cdr a) (cdr b)))]
     [else (equal? a b)]))
 
-(check-equal? (lex "#lang racket/base")
+(check-equal? (lex "#lang racket/base" #t)
               `(("#lang" other 1 18 #f)
                 (,eof eof #f #f (proc scheme-lexer))))
-(check-equal? (lex "#lang racket/base\n1")
+(check-equal? (lex "#lang racket/base\n1" #t)
               `(("#lang" other 1 18 #f)
                 ("\n" white-space 18 19 (proc scheme-lexer)) 
                 ("1" constant 19 20 (proc scheme-lexer))
                 (,eof eof #f #f (proc scheme-lexer))))
-(check-equal? (lex ";; αα\n")
+(check-equal? (lex ";; αα\n" #t)
               `(("; αα" comment 1 6 #f) 
                 ("\n" white-space 6 7 before-lang-line) 
                 (,eof eof #f #f before-lang-line)))
-(check-equal? (lex ";; ααα\n;; aaa\n")
+(check-equal? (lex ";; ααα\n;; aaa\n" #t)
               `(("; ααα" comment 1 7 #f) 
                 ("\n" white-space 7 8 before-lang-line) 
                 ("; aaa" comment 8 14 before-lang-line) 
                 ("\n" white-space 14 15 before-lang-line)
                 (,eof eof #f #f before-lang-line)))
-(check-equal? (lex ";; a\n#lang racket/base")
+(check-equal? (lex ";; a\n#lang racket/base" #t)
               `(("; a" comment 1 5 #f) 
                 ("\n" white-space 5 6 before-lang-line) 
                 ("#lang" other 6 23 before-lang-line)
                 (,eof eof #f #f (proc scheme-lexer))))
-(check-equal? (lex "#lang at-exp racket/base")
+(check-equal? (lex "#lang at-exp racket/base" #t)
               `(("#lang" other 1 25 #f)
                 (,eof eof 25 25 ((proc scribble-lexer) . #f))))
-(check-equal? (lex "#lang at-exp racket/baseBOGUS")
+(check-equal? (lex "#lang at-exp racket/baseBOGUS" #t)
               `(("#lang at-exp" error 1 31 #f)
                 (,eof eof #f #f no-lang-line)))
 (check same?
-       (lex "#lang at-exp racket/base\n1\n")
+       (lex "#lang at-exp racket/base\n1\n" #t)
        `(("#lang" other 1 25 #f)
          ("\n" white-space 25 26 ((proc scribble-lexer) . #f)) 
          ("1" constant 26 27 ((proc scribble-lexer) . dont-care))
diff --git a/collects/tests/syntax-color/scheme-lexer.rkt b/collects/tests/syntax-color/scheme-lexer.rkt
index 94c5bf8b27..695bfd6883 100644
--- a/collects/tests/syntax-color/scheme-lexer.rkt
+++ b/collects/tests/syntax-color/scheme-lexer.rkt
@@ -49,21 +49,22 @@
        #'(test/proc line args ...))]))
 
 (define (test/proc line input expected [e-n (chunks (string->list expected))])
-  (let* ([p (input->port input)]
-         (l (lex scheme-lexer p))
-         (s (apply string-append l)))
-    (close-input-port p)
-    (unless (string=? s expected)
+  (define p (input->port input))
+  (port-count-lines! p)
+  (define l (lex scheme-lexer p))
+  (define s (apply string-append l))
+  (close-input-port p)
+  (unless (string=? s expected)
+    (eprintf "test on line ~a failed:\n" line)
+    (eprintf "  input   : ~s\n" input)
+    (eprintf "  output  : ~s\n" s)
+    (eprintf "  expected: ~s\n\n" expected))
+  (let ((a-n (length l)))
+    (unless (= e-n a-n)
       (eprintf "test on line ~a failed:\n" line)
-      (eprintf "  input   : ~s\n" input)
-      (eprintf "  output  : ~s\n" s)
-      (eprintf "  expected: ~s\n\n" expected))
-    (let ((a-n (length l)))
-      (unless (= e-n a-n)
-        (eprintf "test on line ~a failed:\n" line)
-        (eprintf "  input   : ~a\n" input)
-        (eprintf "  expected: ~a tokens\n" e-n)
-        (eprintf "  got     : ~a tokens\n\n" a-n)))))
+      (eprintf "  input   : ~a\n" input)
+      (eprintf "  expected: ~a tokens\n" e-n)
+      (eprintf "  got     : ~a tokens\n\n" a-n))))
 
 (define (input->port input) 
   (let-values ([(in out) (make-pipe-with-specials)])
@@ -442,6 +443,7 @@ end-string
     "c i;;;;;; c ;;")
 (test '(";a" 1 "b") ";;;;" 1)  ;; a special comment
 (test '(";a" 1 "b\n1" 1) ";;;; cn" 4)
+(test ";αα" ";;;")
 
 (test "#||#" ";;;;")
 (test "#|#||#|#" ";;;;;;;;")