diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/syntax/JEditTextArea.java b/app/src/processing/app/syntax/JEditTextArea.java
index fae0698cc..8a76a9d33 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/syntax/JEditTextArea.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/syntax/JEditTextArea.java
@@ -1151,7 +1151,11 @@ public class JEditTextArea extends JComponent
         newBias = true;
       }
 
-    if(newStart < 0 || newEnd > getDocumentLength())
+    if (newEnd > getDocumentLength()) {
+      newEnd = getDocumentLength();
+    }
+
+    if(newStart < 0)
       {
         throw new IllegalArgumentException("Bounds out of"
                                            + " range: " + newStart + "," +