diff --git a/lib/git-diff-view.coffee b/lib/git-diff-view.coffee
index e3e83b8..9362e3b 100644
--- a/lib/git-diff-view.coffee
+++ b/lib/git-diff-view.coffee
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ class GitDiffView
       if oldLines is 0 and newLines > 0
         @markRange(startRow, endRow, 'git-line-added')
       else if newLines is 0 and oldLines > 0
-        @markRange(startRow, startRow, 'git-line-removed')
+        if startRow < 0
+          @markRange(0, 0, 'git-previous-line-removed')
+        else
+          @markRange(startRow, startRow, 'git-line-removed')
       else
         @markRange(startRow, endRow, 'git-line-modified')
     return
diff --git a/spec/git-diff-spec.coffee b/spec/git-diff-spec.coffee
index 2fdc6b5..155d54d 100644
--- a/spec/git-diff-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/git-diff-spec.coffee
@@ -54,6 +54,15 @@ describe "GitDiff package", ->
       expect(editorView.querySelectorAll('.git-line-removed').length).toBe 1
       expect(editorView.querySelector('.git-line-removed')).toHaveData("buffer-row", 4)
 
+  describe "when the editor has removed the first line", ->
+    it "highlights the line preceeding the deleted lines", ->
+      expect(editorView.querySelectorAll('.git-line-added').length).toBe 0
+      editor.setCursorBufferPosition([0, 0])
+      editor.deleteLine()
+      advanceClock(editor.getBuffer().stoppedChangingDelay)
+      expect(editorView.querySelectorAll('.git-previous-line-removed').length).toBe 1
+      expect(editorView.querySelector('.git-previous-line-removed')).toHaveData("buffer-row", 0)
+
   describe "when a modified line is restored to the HEAD version contents", ->
     it "removes the diff highlight", ->
       expect(editorView.querySelectorAll('.git-line-modified').length).toBe 0
diff --git a/styles/git-diff.less b/styles/git-diff.less
index 4436c11..cbff364 100644
--- a/styles/git-diff.less
+++ b/styles/git-diff.less
@@ -14,12 +14,11 @@ atom-text-editor {
       padding-left: ~"calc(0.5em - 2px)";
     }
 
-    &.git-line-removed:before {
-      @size: 4px;
-
+    @size: 4px;
+    &.git-line-removed:before,
+    &.git-previous-line-removed:before {
       position: absolute;
       left: 0;
-      bottom: -@size;
       height: 0;
       width: 0;
       content: " ";
@@ -29,7 +28,14 @@ atom-text-editor {
       margin-top: -@size;
       pointer-events: none;
     }
+    &.git-line-removed:before {
+      bottom: -@size;
+    }
+    &.git-previous-line-removed:before {
+      top: 0;
+    }
   }
+
   .gutter.git-diff-icon .line-number {
     width: 100%;
     border-left: none;
@@ -59,12 +65,18 @@ atom-text-editor {
       color: @syntax-color-added;
     }
 
-    &.git-line-removed:before {
+    &.git-line-removed:before,
+    &.git-previous-line-removed:before {
       border: none; // reset triangle
       content: @dash;
       color: @syntax-color-removed;
       position: relative;
+    }
+    &.git-line-removed:before {
       top: .6em;
     }
+    &.git-previous-line-removed:before {
+      top: -.6em;
+    }
   }
 }