diff --git a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.1.rst b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.1.rst
index fdd7f7184c..d8831ad9cd 100644
--- a/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.1.rst
+++ b/docs/sphinx/source/whatsnew/v0.9.1.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 .. _whatsnew_0910:
 
-v0.9.1 (December 1, 2021)
+v0.9.1 (TBD)
 --------------------------
 
 Breaking changes
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
 * Address round-off effects in :py:func:`pvlib.ivtools.utils._schumaker_qspline`
   (:issue:`1311`, :pull:`1315`)
+* Fixed a bug in :py:func:`pvlib.spectrum.spectrl2` where negative spectral irradiance
+  values were returned when the sun is behind the plane of array (:issue:`1348`, :pull:`1349`)
+
 
 Testing
 ~~~~~~~
@@ -31,3 +34,5 @@ Contributors
 * Cliff Hansen (:ghuser:`cwhanse`)
 * :ghuser:`Antoine-0`
 * :ghuser:`Carlosbogo`
+* Christian Weickhmann (:ghuser:`cweickhmann`)
+* Kevin Anderson (:ghuser:`kanderso-nrel`)
diff --git a/pvlib/spectrum/spectrl2.py b/pvlib/spectrum/spectrl2.py
index 15f006b288..f679825014 100644
--- a/pvlib/spectrum/spectrl2.py
+++ b/pvlib/spectrum/spectrl2.py
@@ -260,6 +260,11 @@ def spectrl2(apparent_zenith, aoi, surface_tilt, ground_albedo,
     2-5                 kasten1966 kasten1966 kastenyoung1989
     =================== ========== ========== ===============
 
+    This implementation also deviates from the reference by including a
+    check for angles of incidence greater than 90 degrees; without this,
+    the model might return negative spectral irradiance values when the
+    sun is behind the plane of array.
+
     References
     ----------
     .. [1] Bird, R, and Riordan, C., 1984, "Simple solar spectral model for
@@ -357,10 +362,16 @@ def spectrl2(apparent_zenith, aoi, surface_tilt, ground_albedo,
     Is = (Ir + Ia + Ig) * Cs  # Eq 3-1
 
     # calculate spectral irradiance on a tilted surface, Eq 3-18
-    Ibeam = Id * cosd(aoi)
-
-    # don't need surface_azimuth if we provide projection_ratio
-    projection_ratio = cosd(aoi) / cosZ
+    # Note: clipping cosd(aoi) to >=0 is not in the reference, but is necessary
+    # to prevent nonsense values when the sun is behind the plane of array.
+    # The same constraint is applied in irradiance.haydavies when not
+    # supplying `projection_ratio`.
+    aoi_projection_nn = np.maximum(cosd(aoi), 0)  # GH 1348
+    Ibeam = Id * aoi_projection_nn
+
+    # don't need surface_azimuth if we provide projection_ratio.
+    # Also constrain cos zenith to avoid blowup, as in irradiance.haydavies
+    projection_ratio = aoi_projection_nn / np.maximum(cosZ, 0.01745)
     Isky = pvlib.irradiance.haydavies(surface_tilt=surface_tilt,
                                       surface_azimuth=None,
                                       dhi=Is,
diff --git a/pvlib/tests/test_spectrum.py b/pvlib/tests/test_spectrum.py
index 657fa2675d..cfcd50d1fe 100644
--- a/pvlib/tests/test_spectrum.py
+++ b/pvlib/tests/test_spectrum.py
@@ -92,3 +92,17 @@ def test_dayofyear_missing(spectrl2_data):
     kwargs.pop('dayofyear')
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match='dayofyear must be specified'):
         _ = spectrum.spectrl2(**kwargs)
+
+
+def test_aoi_gt_90(spectrl2_data):
+    # test that returned irradiance values are non-negative when aoi > 90
+    # see GH #1348
+    kwargs, _ = spectrl2_data
+    kwargs['apparent_zenith'] = 70
+    kwargs['aoi'] = 130
+    kwargs['surface_tilt'] = 60
+
+    spectra = spectrum.spectrl2(**kwargs)
+    for key in ['poa_direct', 'poa_global']:
+        message = f'{key} contains negative values for aoi>90'
+        assert np.all(spectra[key] >= 0), message