diff --git a/src/Fl_Menu.cxx b/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
index 8f350aa62..ab9f2d4a6 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Menu.cxx
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ static void setitem(int m, int n) {
 
 static int forward(int menu) { // go to next item in menu menu if possible
   menustate &pp = *p;
-  // Fl_Menu_Button can generate menu=-1. This line fixes it and selectes the first item.
+  // Fl_Menu_Button can generate menu=-1. This line fixes it and selects the first item.
   if (menu==-1) 
     menu = 0;
   menuwindow &m = *(pp.p[menu]);
@@ -643,6 +643,9 @@ static int forward(int menu) { // go to next item in menu menu if possible
 }
 
 static int backward(int menu) { // previous item in menu menu if possible
+  // `menu` is -1 if no item is currently selected, we return 0
+  if (menu<0)
+    return 0;
   menustate &pp = *p;
   menuwindow &m = *(pp.p[menu]);
   int item = (menu == pp.menu_number) ? pp.item_number : m.selected;