diff --git a/src/reader.cpp b/src/reader.cpp
index 363c2c628..450bfb4df 100644
--- a/src/reader.cpp
+++ b/src/reader.cpp
@@ -1210,8 +1210,6 @@ void reader_data_t::delete_char(bool backward) {
     }
     size_t pos_end = pos;
 
-    if (el->position() == 0) return;
-
     // Fake composed character sequences by continuing to delete until we delete a character of
     // width at least 1.
     int width;