diff --git a/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee b/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
index b8cb46d7b..6092dd662 100644
--- a/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/app/edit-session-spec.coffee
@@ -756,6 +756,19 @@ describe "EditSession", ->
             [[6, 22], [6, 28]]
           ]
 
+      describe "when the selection is empty", ->
+        it "does not skip lines that are shorter than the current column", ->
+          editSession.setCursorBufferPosition([3, 36])
+          editSession.addSelectionBelow()
+          editSession.addSelectionBelow()
+          editSession.addSelectionBelow()
+          expect(editSession.getSelectedBufferRanges()).toEqual [
+            [[3, 36], [3, 36]]
+            [[4, 29], [4, 29]]
+            [[5, 30], [5, 30]]
+            [[6, 36], [6, 36]]
+          ]
+
     describe "when the cursor is moved while there is a selection", ->
       makeSelection = -> selection.setBufferRange [[1, 2], [1, 5]]
 
diff --git a/src/app/selection.coffee b/src/app/selection.coffee
index 40f1ad389..6c37b2291 100644
--- a/src/app/selection.coffee
+++ b/src/app/selection.coffee
@@ -155,12 +155,18 @@ class Selection
   addSelectionBelow: ->
     range = (@goalBufferRange ? @getBufferRange()).copy()
     nextRow = range.end.row + 1
-    for row in [nextRow..@editSession.getLastBufferRow()]
-      range.start.row = row
-      range.end.row = row
-      unless @editSession.clipBufferRange(range).isEmpty()
-        @editSession.addSelectionForBufferRange(range, goalBufferRange: range, suppressMerge: true)
-        break
+
+    if range.isEmpty()
+      range.start.row = nextRow
+      range.end.row = nextRow
+      @editSession.addSelectionForBufferRange(range, goalBufferRange: range, suppressMerge: true)
+    else
+      for row in [nextRow..@editSession.getLastBufferRow()]
+        range.start.row = row
+        range.end.row = row
+        unless @editSession.clipBufferRange(range).isEmpty()
+          @editSession.addSelectionForBufferRange(range, goalBufferRange: range, suppressMerge: true)
+          break
 
   insertText: (text, options={}) ->
     oldBufferRange = @getBufferRange()