diff --git a/lib/ace/document.js b/lib/ace/document.js
index 237072ad..b185dde2 100644
--- a/lib/ace/document.js
+++ b/lib/ace/document.js
@@ -155,10 +155,9 @@ var Document = function(text) {
                                                          range.end.column);
         }
         else {
-            var lines = [];
-            lines.push(this.$lines[range.start.row].substring(range.start.column));
-            lines.push.apply(lines, this.getLines(range.start.row+1, range.end.row-1));
-            lines.push(this.$lines[range.end.row].substring(0, range.end.column));
+            var lines = this.getLines(range.start.row+1, range.end.row-1);
+            lines.unshift((this.$lines[range.start.row] || "").substring(range.start.column));
+            lines.push((this.$lines[range.end.row] || "").substring(0, range.end.column));
             return lines.join(this.getNewLineCharacter());
         }
     };