diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index 4c11a2b..87e979d 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -5246,8 +5246,12 @@
 		    {
 			pos_T	pos = curwin->w_cursor;
 
-			/* Find bad word under the cursor. */
+			/* Find bad word under the cursor.  When 'spell' is
+			 * off this fails and find_ident_under_cursor() is
+			 * used below. */
+			emsg_off++;
 			len = spell_move_to(curwin, FORWARD, TRUE, TRUE, NULL);
+			emsg_off--;
 			if (len != 0 && curwin->w_cursor.col <= pos.col)
 			    ptr = ml_get_pos(&curwin->w_cursor);
 			curwin->w_cursor = pos;