diff --git a/src/nvim/diff.c b/src/nvim/diff.c
index f2b3abb526..4176769f85 100644
--- a/src/nvim/diff.c
+++ b/src/nvim/diff.c
@@ -2190,7 +2190,7 @@ int diffopt_changed(void)
   }
 
   diff_flags = diff_flags_new;
-  diff_context = diff_context_new;
+  diff_context = diff_context_new == 0 ? 1 : diff_context_new;
   diff_foldcolumn = diff_foldcolumn_new;
   diff_algorithm = diff_algorithm_new;