diff --git a/compiler/lexer.nim b/compiler/lexer.nim
index 9ebec89be5..9c0b803602 100644
--- a/compiler/lexer.nim
+++ b/compiler/lexer.nim
@@ -1349,7 +1349,7 @@ proc rawGetTok*(L: var Lexer, tok: var Token) =
           lexMessage(L, errGenerated, "invalid token: no whitespace between number and identifier")
     of '-':
       if L.buf[L.bufpos+1] in {'0'..'9'} and
-          (L.bufpos-1 == 0 or L.buf[L.bufpos-1] in UnaryMinusWhitelist):
+          (L.bufpos == 0 or L.buf[L.bufpos-1] in UnaryMinusWhitelist):
         # x)-23 # binary minus
         # ,-23  # unary minus
         # \n-78 # unary minus? Yes.
diff --git a/tests/stdlib/tstrformat.nim b/tests/stdlib/tstrformat.nim
index 74f23b953b..258c190a1d 100644
--- a/tests/stdlib/tstrformat.nim
+++ b/tests/stdlib/tstrformat.nim
@@ -544,6 +544,12 @@ proc main() =
     var x = 5
     doAssert fmt"{(x=7;123.456)=:13e}" == "(x=7;123.456)= 1.234560e+02"
     doAssert x==7
+
+  block: # binary operators in interpolated expressions
+    let n = 1
+    doAssert &"{n-1}" == "0"
+    doAssert fmt"{n-1}" == "0"
+
   block: #curly bracket expressions and tuples
     proc formatValue(result: var string; value:Table|bool|JsonNode; specifier:string) = result.add $value