diff --git a/src/testdir/test_alot.vim b/src/testdir/test_alot.vim
index ac3ca74..1465a7a 100644
--- a/src/testdir/test_alot.vim
+++ b/src/testdir/test_alot.vim
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 source test_match.vim
 source test_menu.vim
 source test_messages.vim
+source test_modeline.vim
 source test_partial.vim
 source test_popup.vim
 source test_put.vim
diff --git a/src/testdir/test_modeline.vim b/src/testdir/test_modeline.vim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e49577
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/testdir/test_modeline.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+" Tests for parsing the modeline.
+
+func Test_invalid()
+  " This was reading before allocated memory.
+  call writefile(['vi:0', 'nothing'], 'Xmodeline')
+  call assert_fails('split Xmodeline', 'E518:')
+  bwipe!
+endfunc