diff --git a/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java b/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
index 098d84b694c..07238ebbfe7 100644
--- a/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
+++ b/terminal/org.eclipse.tm.terminal/src/org/eclipse/tm/internal/terminal/textcanvas/AbstractTextCanvasModel.java
@@ -228,9 +228,7 @@ abstract public class AbstractTextCanvasModel implements ITextCanvasModel {
 	}
 	
 	public String getSelectedText() {
-		if(fSelectionStartLine<0 || fSelectionSnapshot==null)
-			return ""; //$NON-NLS-1$
-		if(fSelectionStartLine<0 || fSelectionSnapshot==null)
+		if(fSelectionStartLine<0 || fSelectionStartCoumn<0|| fSelectionSnapshot==null)
 			return ""; //$NON-NLS-1$
 		StringBuffer buffer=new StringBuffer();
 		for (int line = fSelectionStartLine; line <= fSeletionEndLine; line++) {