diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
index 3803a06fe44..9714b3b5001 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/actions/moves/item.lua
@@ -33,11 +33,15 @@ end
 ---@param what string type of status
 ---@param skip_gitignored boolean default false
 local function move(where, what, skip_gitignored)
-  local node_cur = lib.get_node_at_cursor()
   local first_node_line = core.get_nodes_starting_line()
   local nodes_by_line = utils.get_nodes_by_line(core.get_explorer().nodes, first_node_line)
   local iter_start, iter_end, iter_step, cur, first, nex
 
+  local cursor = lib.get_cursor_position()
+  if cursor and cursor[1] < first_node_line then
+    cur = cursor[1]
+  end
+
   if where == "next" then
     iter_start, iter_end, iter_step = first_node_line, #nodes_by_line, 1
   elseif where == "prev" then
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ local function move(where, what, skip_gitignored)
       first = line
     end
 
-    if node == node_cur then
+    if cursor and line == cursor[1] then
       cur = line
     elseif valid and cur then
       nex = line
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
index 8bdf9a97bbc..6efb42e4156 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/lib.lua
@@ -15,25 +15,33 @@ local M = {
   target_winid = nil,
 }
 
----@return Node|nil
-function M.get_node_at_cursor()
+---Cursor position as per vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor
+---@return integer[]|nil
+function M.get_cursor_position()
   if not core.get_explorer() then
     return
   end
 
   local winnr = view.get_winnr()
-  if not winnr then
+  if not winnr or not vim.api.nvim_win_is_valid(winnr) then
     return
   end
 
-  local cursor = vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(winnr)
-  local line = cursor[1]
+  return vim.api.nvim_win_get_cursor(winnr)
+end
+
+---@return Node|nil
+function M.get_node_at_cursor()
+  local cursor = M.get_cursor_position()
+  if not cursor then
+    return
+  end
 
-  if line == 1 and view.is_root_folder_visible(core.get_cwd()) then
+  if cursor[1] == 1 and view.is_root_folder_visible(core.get_cwd()) then
     return { name = ".." }
   end
 
-  return utils.get_nodes_by_line(core.get_explorer().nodes, core.get_nodes_starting_line())[line]
+  return utils.get_nodes_by_line(core.get_explorer().nodes, core.get_nodes_starting_line())[cursor[1]]
 end
 
 ---Create a sanitized partial copy of a node, populating children recursively.