diff --git a/cmd/vet/print.go b/cmd/vet/print.go
index 14de6ab5..82edd81e 100644
--- a/cmd/vet/print.go
+++ b/cmd/vet/print.go
@@ -474,6 +474,10 @@ func (f *File) argCanBeChecked(call *ast.CallExpr, formatArg int, isStar bool, s
 		// Shouldn't happen, so catch it with prejudice.
 		panic("negative arg num")
 	}
+	if argNum == 0 {
+		f.Badf(call.Pos(), `index value [0] for %s("%s"); indexes start at 1`, state.name, state.format)
+		return false
+	}
 	if argNum < len(call.Args)-1 {
 		return true // Always OK.
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go b/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
index 3875ac50..22c6e0a9 100644
--- a/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
+++ b/cmd/vet/testdata/print.go
@@ -174,6 +174,8 @@ func PrintfTests() {
 	Printf("%[3]*s", "hi", 2)            // ERROR "missing argument for Printf.* reads arg 3, have only 2"
 	fmt.Sprintf("%[3]d", 2)              // ERROR "missing argument for Sprintf.* reads arg 3, have only 1"
 	Printf("%[2]*.[1]*[3]d", 2, "hi", 4) // ERROR "arg .hi. for \* in printf format not of type int"
+	Printf("%[0]s", "arg1")              // ERROR "index value \[0\] for Printf.*; indexes start at 1"
+	Printf("%[0]d", 1)                   // ERROR "index value \[0\] for Printf.*; indexes start at 1"
 	// Something that satisfies the error interface.
 	var e error
 	fmt.Println(e.Error()) // ok