diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 8d3e31e2b..283668cce 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -745,10 +745,6 @@ pub fn extend_line(cx: &mut Context) {
 // heuristic: append changes to history after each command, unless we're in insert mode
 
 fn _delete_selection(doc: &mut Document, view_id: ViewId) {
-    if doc.empty() {
-        return;
-    }
-
     // first yank the selection
     let values: Vec<String> = doc
         .selection(view_id)
@@ -763,7 +759,11 @@ fn _delete_selection(doc: &mut Document, view_id: ViewId) {
     // then delete
     let transaction =
         Transaction::change_by_selection(doc.text(), doc.selection(view_id), |range| {
-            (range.from(), range.to() + 1, None)
+            use std::cmp::{max, min};
+            let max_to = max(0, doc.text().len_chars() - 1);
+            let to = min(max_to, range.to() + 1);
+            log::info!("{} {} {}", max_to, to, doc.text().len_chars());
+            (range.from(), to, None)
         });
     doc.apply(&transaction, view_id);
 }
diff --git a/helix-view/src/document.rs b/helix-view/src/document.rs
index c41b78ad8..3a3b9390e 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/document.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/document.rs
@@ -494,10 +494,6 @@ impl Document {
     pub fn versioned_identifier(&self) -> lsp::VersionedTextDocumentIdentifier {
         lsp::VersionedTextDocumentIdentifier::new(self.url().unwrap(), self.version)
     }
-
-    pub fn empty(&self) -> bool {
-        self.text == "\n"
-    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]