diff --git a/mercurial/templater.py b/mercurial/templater.py
--- a/mercurial/templater.py
+++ b/mercurial/templater.py
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ def word(context, mapping, args):
         splitter = None
 
     tokens = text.split(splitter)
-    if num >= len(tokens):
+    if num >= len(tokens) or num < -len(tokens):
         return ''
     else:
         return tokens[num]
diff --git a/tests/test-command-template.t b/tests/test-command-template.t
--- a/tests/test-command-template.t
+++ b/tests/test-command-template.t
@@ -3368,6 +3368,11 @@ Test word for invalid numbers
   hg: parse error: word expects an integer index
   [255]
 
+Test word for out of range
+
+  $ hg log -R a --template "{word(10000, desc)}"
+  $ hg log -R a --template "{word(-10000, desc)}"
+
 Test indent and not adding to empty lines
 
   $ hg log -T "-----\n{indent(desc, '>> ', ' > ')}\n" -r 0:1 -R a