diff --git a/src/mzscheme/src/port.c b/src/mzscheme/src/port.c
index f8ff1126db..bd7d407a93 100644
--- a/src/mzscheme/src/port.c
+++ b/src/mzscheme/src/port.c
@@ -2659,7 +2659,7 @@ Scheme_Object *scheme_get_special(Scheme_Object *port,
     /* do location increment, since read didn't */
     if (line > 0)
       line++;
-    if (col > 0)
+    if (col >= 0)
       col++;
     if (pos > 0)
       pos++;