diff --git a/src/nvim/spellfile.c b/src/nvim/spellfile.c
index 143f7f20ca..466aaf4578 100644
--- a/src/nvim/spellfile.c
+++ b/src/nvim/spellfile.c
@@ -1339,8 +1339,6 @@ static int read_sofo_section(FILE *fd, slang_T *slang)
   int cnt;
   int res;
 
-  slang->sl_sofo = true;
-
   // <sofofromlen> <sofofrom>
   char *from = read_cnt_string(fd, 2, &cnt);
   if (cnt < 0) {
@@ -1552,6 +1550,7 @@ static int set_sofo(slang_T *lp, const char *from, const char *to)
   ga_grow(gap, 256);
   memset(gap->ga_data, 0, sizeof(int *) * 256);
   gap->ga_len = 256;
+  lp->sl_sofo = true;
 
   // First count the number of items for each list.  Temporarily use
   // sl_sal_first[] for this.
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_spellfile.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_spellfile.vim
index 3bf19cd183..0938e4cfd1 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_spellfile.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_spellfile.vim
@@ -1326,4 +1326,31 @@ func Test_soundfold_overflow()
   let &enc = _enc
 endfunc
 
+func Test_spell_sal_sofo_truncated()
+  call mkdir('Xspelldir/spell', 'pR')
+
+  " "VIMspell" <ver=0x32>
+  "   SN_SAL(5)  flags=0 len=7   : <salflags=0><salcount=0,1><a><0><1>a<1>a
+  "   SN_SOFO(6) flags=0 len=0   : truncated, no body -> EOF in reader
+  " (28 bytes total)
+  let bytes = 0z56494d7370656c6c.3205000000000700.000101610161060000.000000
+  call writefile(bytes, 'Xspelldir/spell/Xx.utf-8.spl', 'b')
+
+  let save_rtp = &rtp
+  set rtp=./Xspelldir
+  try
+    set spelllang=Xx
+    silent! set spell
+  catch
+    " an error message is fine; a crash is not
+  endtry
+
+  " Reaching this point means Vim did not crash on the crafted file.
+  call assert_true(v:true)
+
+  set nospell
+  set spelllang&
+  let &rtp = save_rtp
+endfunc
+
 " vim: shiftwidth=2 sts=2 expandtab