diff --git a/cpp/search/searchhelpers.cpp b/cpp/search/searchhelpers.cpp
index ee0d1ba68..1b8332c6b 100644
--- a/cpp/search/searchhelpers.cpp
+++ b/cpp/search/searchhelpers.cpp
@@ -467,11 +467,13 @@ bool Search::shouldSuppressPass(const SearchNode* n) const {
     bool adjToPlaOwned = false;
     for(int j = 0; j<4; j++) {
       Loc adj = moveLoc + rootBoard.adj_offsets[j];
-      int adjPos = NNPos::locToPos(adj,rootBoard.x_size,nnXLen,nnYLen);
-      double adjPlaOwnership = rootPla == P_WHITE ? whiteOwnerMap[adjPos] : -whiteOwnerMap[adjPos];
-      if(adjPlaOwnership > extreme) {
-        adjToPlaOwned = true;
-        break;
+      if(rootBoard.isOnBoard(adj)) {
+        int adjPos = NNPos::locToPos(adj,rootBoard.x_size,nnXLen,nnYLen);
+        double adjPlaOwnership = rootPla == P_WHITE ? whiteOwnerMap[adjPos] : -whiteOwnerMap[adjPos];
+        if(adjPlaOwnership > extreme) {
+          adjToPlaOwned = true;
+          break;
+        }
       }
     }
     if(oppOwned && !adjToPlaOwned)