diff --git a/source/compiler/sc2.c b/source/compiler/sc2.c
index db9f420..270de9c 100644
--- a/source/compiler/sc2.c
+++ b/source/compiler/sc2.c
@@ -1343,8 +1343,20 @@ static int command(void)
           } /* if */
           break;
         default: {
-          char s2[20];
           extern char *sc_tokens[];/* forward declaration */
+          if ((char)tok == '-') {
+            if (lex(&val, &str) == tNUMBER) {
+              outval(-val, FALSE);
+              code_idx += opargs(1);
+              break;
+            } else {
+              char s2[33] = "-";
+              strcpy((s2 + 1), str);
+              error(1, sc_tokens[tSYMBOL - tFIRST], s2);
+              break;
+            }/* if */
+          }/* if */
+          char s2[20];
           if (tok<256)
             sprintf(s2,"%c",(char)tok);
           else