diff --git a/test/intersect/bug223_f.vcf b/test/intersect/bug223_f.vcf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..ba98303668c1691b5d0080e531aea3d399d94f53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/intersect/bug223_f.vcf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+##fileformat=VCFv4.1
+chr1	1	a	G	<DEL>	70.90	.	TOOL=LUMPY;SVTYPE=DEL;SVLEN=-389,-4611;END=253195;STR=+-:4;IMPRECISE;CIPOS=-2,137;CIEND=0,0;EVENT=791255;SUP=4;PESUP=4;SRSUP=0;EV=PE;PRIN;CSQ=intergenic_variant||||||||||
+chr1	4	a	G	<DEL>	70.90	.	TOOL=LUMPY;SVTYPE=DEL;END=253195;STR=+-:4;IMPRECISE;CIPOS=-2,137;CIEND=0,0;EVENT=791255;SUP=4;PESUP=4;SRSUP=0;EV=PE;PRIN;CSQ=intergenic_variant||||||||||;SVLEN=-10
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/intersect/test-intersect.sh b/test/intersect/test-intersect.sh
index 76e211ecc975a2a763ee0008b4a4ad19684a192c..7e8cc32df9db5b40fbe3e7462a6483e702f91655 100644
--- a/test/intersect/test-intersect.sh
+++ b/test/intersect/test-intersect.sh
@@ -610,6 +610,20 @@ $BT intersect -a bug223_e.vcf -b bug223_e.vcf | cut -f1-6 > obs
 check exp obs
 rm exp obs
 
+##################################################################
+# see that SVLEN in VCF files can handle single numbers,
+# at end of line, followed by null
+##################################################################
+echo "    intersect.t50...\c"
+echo \
+"chr1	1	a	G	<DEL>	70.90
+chr1	1	a	G	<DEL>	70.90
+chr1	4	a	G	<DEL>	70.90
+chr1	4	a	G	<DEL>	70.90" > exp
+$BT intersect -a bug223_f.vcf -b bug223_f.vcf | cut -f1-6 > obs
+check exp obs
+rm exp obs
+
 
 
 cd multi_intersect