--- a/bencode.cpp
+++ b/bencode.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ size_t buf_long(const char *b,size_t len
     p++; len--;
   }
 
+  if( *p == '-'){
+    p++; len--;
+  }
+
   for(psave = p; len && isdigit(*p); p++,len--) ;
 
   if(!len || MAX_INT_SIZ < (p - psave) || *p != endchar) return 0;
