diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index c495de5c..70f1b985 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2016-01-25  Benno Schulenberg  <bensberg@justemail.net>
+	* src/files.c (update_poshistory): Handle an update of the first
+	element correctly.
+
 2016-01-24  Benno Schulenberg  <bensberg@justemail.net>
 	* src/files.c (update_poshistory): Move an updated item to the end
 	of the list, so that it won't be dropped any time soon.  The problem
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 51e9c9cf..29e7ab6c 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -3208,7 +3208,10 @@ void update_poshistory(char *filename, ssize_t lineno, ssize_t xpos)
 	else
 	    posprev->next = theone;
     } else if (posptr->next != NULL) {
-	posprev->next = posptr->next;
+	if (posprev == NULL)
+	    position_history = posptr->next;
+	else
+	    posprev->next = posptr->next;
 	while (posptr->next != NULL)
 	    posptr = posptr->next;
 	posptr->next = theone;