diff --git a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
index 2625af2afa4..cac9e326f66 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ abstract public class AbstractTextCanvasModel implements ITextCanvasModel {
 	 * @return the currently selected text
 	 */
 	private String extractSelectedText() {
-		if(fSelectionStartLine<0 || fSelectionStartCoumn<0|| fSelectionSnapshot==null)
+		if(fSelectionStartLine<0 || fSelectionStartCoumn<0 || fSelectionEndColumn<0 || fSelectionSnapshot==null)
 			return ""; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		StringBuffer buffer=new StringBuffer();
 		for (int line = fSelectionStartLine; line <= fSeletionEndLine; line++) {