diff --git a/include/boost/math/special_functions/gamma.hpp b/include/boost/math/special_functions/gamma.hpp
index f8a3e51bd..84f3ed7ee 100644
--- a/include/boost/math/special_functions/gamma.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/math/special_functions/gamma.hpp
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ T lgamma_imp(T z, const Policy& pol, const Lanczos& l, int* sign = 0)
 	   if (0 == z)
 		   return policies::raise_pole_error<T>(function, "Evaluation of lgamma at %1%.", z, pol);
       if (fabs(z) < 1 / tools::max_value<T>())
-         result = -log(z);
+         result = -log(fabs(z));
       else
 	      result = log(fabs(1 / z - constants::euler<T>()));
 	   if (z < 0)