diff --git a/src/buffer_utils.hh b/src/buffer_utils.hh
index 92cc52cf..a635658b 100644
--- a/src/buffer_utils.hh
+++ b/src/buffer_utils.hh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ inline bool is_bow(const Buffer& buffer, BufferCoord coord)
 inline bool is_eow(const Buffer& buffer, BufferCoord coord)
 {
     if (buffer.is_end(coord) or coord == BufferCoord{0,0})
-        return true;
+        return false;
 
     auto it = utf8::iterator<BufferIterator>(buffer.iterator_at(coord), buffer);
     return is_word(*(it-1)) and not is_word(*it);
diff --git a/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/cmd b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/cmd
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9f5f9181
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/cmd
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+x*n
diff --git a/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/in b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f38b9102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/in
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+a
+
+%(a)
diff --git a/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/state b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/state
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6a561b83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/regression/2420-discrepancy-in-star-behaviour/state
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1.1,1.2