diff --git a/helix-core/src/search.rs b/helix-core/src/search.rs
index af754ab7..55f7bf1d 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/search.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/search.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ pub fn find_nth_next(
     n: usize,
     inclusive: bool,
 ) -> Option<usize> {
+    if pos >= text.len_chars() {
+        return None;
+    }
+
     // start searching right after pos
     let mut chars = text.chars_at(pos + 1);