diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerEntrySet.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerEntrySet.cpp
index c29e9a7e78..85679cdf80 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerEntrySet.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/LedgerEntrySet.cpp
@@ -909,7 +909,7 @@ uint256 LedgerEntrySet::getNextLedgerIndex(const uint256& uHash)
 
 		// node found in LES, node found in ledger, return earliest
 		if (it->second.mAction != taaDELETE)
-			return (ledgerNext < it->first) ? ledgerNext : it->first;
+			return (!ledgerNext.isZero() && (ledgerNext < it->first)) ? ledgerNext : it->first;
 
 	}