diff --git a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
index b585802fc1..b3f39d8b25 100644
--- a/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
+++ b/vlib/v/fmt/fmt.v
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ pub fn fmt(file ast.File, table &table.Table, is_debug bool) string {
 	// for comment in file.comments { println('$comment.line_nr $comment.text')	}
 	f.imports(f.file.imports) // now that we have all autoimports, handle them
 	res := f.out.str().trim_space() + '\n'
-	return res[..f.import_pos] + f.out_imports.str() + res[f.import_pos..] // + '\n'
+	bounded_import_pos := util.imin(res.len,f.import_pos)
+	return res[..bounded_import_pos] + f.out_imports.str() + res[bounded_import_pos..] // + '\n'
 }
 
 pub fn (mut f Fmt) process_file_imports(file &ast.File) {