diff --git a/src/normal.c b/src/normal.c
index b57191a..7f0d8bd 100644
--- a/src/normal.c
+++ b/src/normal.c
@@ -9213,13 +9213,20 @@
 	    cap->count0 = 2;	    /* default for join is two lines! */
 	if (curwin->w_cursor.lnum + cap->count0 - 1 >
 						   curbuf->b_ml.ml_line_count)
-	    clearopbeep(cap->oap);  /* beyond last line */
-	else
 	{
-	    prep_redo(cap->oap->regname, cap->count0,
-			 NUL, cap->cmdchar, NUL, NUL, cap->nchar);
-	    (void)do_join(cap->count0, cap->nchar == NUL, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE);
+	    /* can't join when on the last line */
+	    if (cap->count0 <= 2)
+	    {
+		clearopbeep(cap->oap);
+		return;
+	    }
+	    cap->count0 = curbuf->b_ml.ml_line_count
+						  - curwin->w_cursor.lnum + 1;
 	}
+
+	prep_redo(cap->oap->regname, cap->count0,
+				     NUL, cap->cmdchar, NUL, NUL, cap->nchar);
+	(void)do_join(cap->count0, cap->nchar == NUL, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE);
     }
 }