diff --git a/display.c b/display.c
index 8a4dc13..b0d5860 100644
--- a/display.c
+++ b/display.c
@@ -1160,9 +1160,12 @@ static void modeline(struct window *wp)
 		vtputc(lchar);
 
 	vtputc( ' ') ;
-	n = 3 ;
 
-	n += vtputs( PROGRAM_NAME_LONG " " VERSION ": ") ;
+	if( n == term.t_nrow - 1)
+		n = 3 + vtputs( PROGRAM_NAME_LONG " " VERSION ": ") ;
+	else
+		n = 3 ;
+
 	n += vtputs( bp->b_bname) ;
 	n += vtputs( " (") ;