diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index 43cd013..ca69c29 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -3069,8 +3069,10 @@
 	    if (!eap->skip)
 	    {
 		curwin->w_cursor.lnum = eap->line2;
-		// don't leave the cursor on an illegal line or column
-		check_cursor();
+		// Don't leave the cursor on an illegal line or column, but do
+		// accept zero as address, so 0;/PATTERN/ works correctly.
+		if (eap->line2 > 0)
+		    check_cursor();
 	    }
 	}
 	else if (*eap->cmd != ',')
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim b/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
index 7d3c0c8..a547326 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_cmdline.vim
@@ -1471,4 +1471,15 @@
   call assert_equal(1, winnr('$'))
 endfunc
 
+" test that ";" works to find a match at the start of the first line
+func Test_zero_line_search()
+  new
+  call setline(1, ["1, pattern", "2, ", "3, pattern"])
+  call cursor(1,1)
+  0;/pattern/d
+  call assert_equal(["2, ", "3, pattern"], getline(1,'$'))
+  q!
+endfunc
+
+
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 9323b1d..a9a2e29 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -747,6 +747,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    648,
+/**/
     647,
 /**/
     646,