diff --git a/line-range.c b/line-range.c
index 3942475..a816951 100644
--- a/line-range.c
+++ b/line-range.c
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 		if (term != spec + 1) {
 			if (!ret)
 				return term;
+			if (num == 0)
+				die("-L invalid empty range");
 			if (spec[0] == '-')
 				num = 0 - num;
 			if (0 < num)