diff --git a/lib/libstand/gets.c b/lib/libstand/gets.c
index 575134c30a09..7d54b0001775 100644
--- a/lib/libstand/gets.c
+++ b/lib/libstand/gets.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ ngets(char *buf, int n)
 	    putchar('\n');
 	    break;
 	default:
-	    if ((n < 1) || ((lp - buf) < n)) {
+	    if ((n < 1) || ((lp - buf) < n - 1)) {
 		*lp++ = c;
 		putchar(c);
 	    }