diff --git a/undone/main.scm b/undone/main.scm
index 322a73e..b9ae986 100644
--- a/undone/main.scm
+++ b/undone/main.scm
@@ -128,9 +128,11 @@
 
 (define (next-id)
   "Look through all known todo items and get the next id."
-  (1+ (apply max (map (lambda (elm)
-                        (get-field-value id elm 0))
-                      todo-list))))
+  (if (> (length todo-list) 0)
+      (1+ (apply max (map (lambda (elm)
+                            (get-field-value id elm 0))
+                          todo-list)))
+      1))
 
 (define (add args)
   "Add item to the list."