diff --git a/src/nano.c b/src/nano.c
index 2d7338e815f4f8586af630673256af65fc48f500..64f2ce181fa0c1247e383dbb365d5e83650ac1aa 100644
--- a/src/nano.c
+++ b/src/nano.c
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ void renumber(filestruct *fileptr)
 
     assert(fileptr != NULL && fileptr->prev != NULL);
 
-    line = (fileptr->prev == NULL) ? 1 : fileptr->prev->lineno;
+    line = (fileptr->prev == NULL) ? 0 : fileptr->prev->lineno;
 
     assert(fileptr != fileptr->next);