diff --git a/org.fortiss.tooling.base.ui/trunk/src/org/fortiss/tooling/base/ui/fieldassist/FieldAssist.java b/org.fortiss.tooling.base.ui/trunk/src/org/fortiss/tooling/base/ui/fieldassist/FieldAssist.java
index 818a0abb8311a961a8e81d98179cb3758417963d..c103fd6a8656dac41500830d4ec8136c6864ef37 100644
--- a/org.fortiss.tooling.base.ui/trunk/src/org/fortiss/tooling/base/ui/fieldassist/FieldAssist.java
+++ b/org.fortiss.tooling.base.ui/trunk/src/org/fortiss/tooling/base/ui/fieldassist/FieldAssist.java
@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ public class FieldAssist {
 
 	/** Finds the beginning of the word the cursor is placed in. */
 	private int findBeginningOfWord(String contents, int position) {
-		int tmp = Math.max(0, position - 1);
+		if (contents.isEmpty()) {
+			return -1;
+		}
+		int tmp = position - 1;
 		while (tmp >= 0 && !Character.isWhitespace(contents.charAt(tmp))
 				&& !isAdditionalWhitespace(contents.charAt(tmp))) {
 			tmp--;