diff --git a/src/actions/commands/actions.ts b/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
index 1eda53b86f9..6d74e778da6 100644
--- a/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
+++ b/src/actions/commands/actions.ts
@@ -3971,8 +3971,8 @@ abstract class IncrementDecrementNumberAction extends BaseCommand {
 
     for (let { start, end, word } of Position.IterateWords(whereToStart)) {
       // '-' doesn't count as a word, but is important to include in parsing
-      // the number
-      if (text[start.character - 1] === '-') {
+      // the number, as long as it is not just part of the word (-foo2 for example)
+      if (text[start.character - 1] === '-' && /\d/.test(text[start.character])) {
         start = start.getLeft();
         word = text[start.character] + word;
       }
diff --git a/test/mode/modeNormal.test.ts b/test/mode/modeNormal.test.ts
index fe6bb942582..ef7894127ce 100644
--- a/test/mode/modeNormal.test.ts
+++ b/test/mode/modeNormal.test.ts
@@ -1642,6 +1642,13 @@ suite('Mode Normal', () => {
     end: ['foo1bar|3'],
   });
 
+  newTest({
+    title: 'can <C-a> on word with - in front of it',
+    start: ['-fo|o2'],
+    keysPressed: '<C-a>',
+    end: ['-foo|3'],
+  });
+
   newTest({
     title: 'can do Y',
     start: ['|blah blah'],