diff --git a/src/navigator.js b/src/navigator.js
index 93729e0b..20d77882 100644
--- a/src/navigator.js
+++ b/src/navigator.js
@@ -209,8 +209,12 @@ $.extend( $.Navigator.prototype, $.EventHandler.prototype, $.Viewer.prototype, {
 
                 style.top    = topleft.y + 'px';
                 style.left   = topleft.x + 'px';
-                style.width  = ( Math.abs( topleft.x - bottomright.x ) - 3 ) + 'px';
-                style.height = ( Math.abs( topleft.y - bottomright.y ) - 3 ) + 'px';
+                // TODO: What's this magic number mean?
+                var width = Math.abs( topleft.x - bottomright.x ) - 3;
+                var height = Math.abs( topleft.y - bottomright.y ) - 3;
+                // make sure width and height are non-negative so IE doesn't throw
+                style.width  = Math.max( width, 0 ) + 'px';
+                style.height = Math.max( height, 0 ) + 'px';
 
             }( this.displayRegion.style ));  
         } 
@@ -285,4 +289,4 @@ function onCanvasScroll( tracker, position, scroll, shift ) {
 };
 
 
-}( OpenSeadragon ));
\ No newline at end of file
+}( OpenSeadragon ));