diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 8944909d8154a7802b25e167f657bee0589e7eb9..b96b1dad856da3366e05f39e1517e31026fd5a4c 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -2554,8 +2554,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
      * dimensions. */
     window_init();
 
-    editwincols = COLS - margin;
-
     /* Set up the signal handlers. */
     signal_init();
 
@@ -2694,6 +2692,22 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     display_buffer();
 
     while (TRUE) {
+#ifdef ENABLE_LINENUMBERS
+	int needed_margin = digits(openfile->filebot->lineno) + 1;
+
+	/* Only enable line numbers when there is enough room for them. */
+	if (ISSET(LINE_NUMBERS) && needed_margin < COLS - 3) {
+	    if (needed_margin != margin) {
+		margin = needed_margin;
+		editwincols = COLS - margin;
+		/* The margin has changed -- schedule a full refresh. */
+		refresh_needed = TRUE;
+	    }
+	} else {
+	    margin = 0;
+	    editwincols = COLS;
+	}
+#endif
 	if (currmenu != MMAIN)
 	    display_main_list();
 
diff --git a/src/winio.c b/src/winio.c
index 61681f4eda820bb2285cabb26f2bca92dc7ca9c0..381e114adea1e497c7dc14bbb1629dc554e1d097 100644
--- a/src/winio.c
+++ b/src/winio.c
@@ -2269,26 +2269,15 @@ void edit_draw(filestruct *fileptr, const char *converted, int
     assert(strlenpt(converted) <= editwincols);
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_LINENUMBERS
-    int needed_margin = digits(openfile->filebot->lineno) + 1;
-
-    if (ISSET(LINE_NUMBERS) && needed_margin < COLS - 3) {
-	/* If the line numbers now require more room, schedule a refresh. */
-	if (needed_margin != margin) {
-	    margin = needed_margin;
-	    editwincols = COLS - margin;
-	    refresh_needed = TRUE;
-	}
-
-	/* Show the line number only for the non-softwrapped parts. */
+    /* If line numbering is switched on, show a line number in front of
+     * the text -- but only for the parts that are not softwrapped. */
+    if (margin > 0) {
 	wattron(edit, interface_color_pair[LINE_NUMBER]);
 	if (last_drawn_line != fileptr->lineno || last_line_y >= line)
 	    mvwprintw(edit, line, 0, "%*i", margin - 1, fileptr->lineno);
 	else
 	    mvwprintw(edit, line, 0, "%*s", margin - 1, " ");
 	wattroff(edit, interface_color_pair[LINE_NUMBER]);
-    } else {
-	margin = 0;
-	editwincols = COLS;
     }
 #endif