diff --git a/maca_tools/src/mcf2conll.c b/maca_tools/src/mcf2conll.c
index c5f506447112a354ff5fba162688b3435cfa044b..078be933aab23179c11fd238430864c720fa8f58 100644
--- a/maca_tools/src/mcf2conll.c
+++ b/maca_tools/src/mcf2conll.c
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
       fprintf(output_file, "\t");
       
       if(gov_col){
-	if(word_get_gov(w) == 0)
+	if((word_get_gov(w) == 0) || ((word_get_gov(w) + index) < 0))
 	  fprintf(output_file, "0\t");
 	else
 	  fprintf(output_file, "%d\t", word_get_gov(w) + index);