diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/str_/mod.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/str_/mod.rs
index 2aeabfd04a..9a361f7d43 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/str_/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/str_/mod.rs
@@ -388,6 +388,13 @@ fn substring_by_negative_index() {
     })
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn substring_of_empty_string() {
+    let actual = nu!("'' | str substring ..0");
+    assert_eq!(actual.err, "");
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, "");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn str_reverse() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"
diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/range.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/range.rs
index 9ce9c6fa54..5524a79fe3 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/range.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/value/range.rs
@@ -112,8 +112,9 @@ mod int_range {
             match self.end {
                 Bound::Unbounded => Bound::Unbounded,
                 Bound::Included(i) => match i {
+                    _ if len == 0 => Bound::Excluded(0),
                     i if i < 0 => Bound::Excluded(len.saturating_sub((i + 1).unsigned_abs())),
-                    i => Bound::Included((len - 1).min(i.unsigned_abs())),
+                    i => Bound::Included((len.saturating_sub(1)).min(i.unsigned_abs())),
                 },
                 Bound::Excluded(i) => Bound::Excluded(match i {
                     i if i < 0 => len.saturating_sub(i.unsigned_abs()),