diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/CommentsInNotesUtil.java b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/CommentsInNotesUtil.java
index e65f8e82f8..d0cb1dfaf8 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/CommentsInNotesUtil.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/CommentsInNotesUtil.java
@@ -243,9 +243,6 @@ public class CommentsInNotesUtil {
     }
 
     int startChar = RawParseUtils.parseBase10(note, ptr.value, ptr);
-    if (startChar == 0) {
-      return null;
-    }
     if (note[ptr.value] == '-') {
       range.setStartCharacter(startChar);
       ptr.value += 1;
diff --git a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
index f19987fc26..ac20a6e966 100644
--- a/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
+++ b/gerrit-server/src/test/java/com/google/gerrit/server/notedb/ChangeNotesTest.java
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@ public class ChangeNotesTest extends AbstractChangeNotesTest {
     update.commit();
 
     update = newUpdate(c, otherUser);
-    CommentRange range3 = new CommentRange(3, 1, 4, 1);
+    CommentRange range3 = new CommentRange(3, 0, 4, 1);
     PatchLineComment comment3 = newPublishedComment(psId, "file2",
         uuid3, range3, range3.getEndLine(), otherUser, null, time3, message3,
         (short) 1, "abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234abcd1234");
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ public class ChangeNotesTest extends AbstractChangeNotesTest {
           + "\n"
           + "File: file2\n"
           + "\n"
-          + "3:1-4:1\n"
+          + "3:0-4:1\n"
           + CommentsInNotesUtil.formatTime(serverIdent, time3) + "\n"
           + "Author: Other Account <2@gerrit>\n"
           + "UUID: uuid3\n"