diff --git a/src/cu.c b/src/cu.c
index 56c8135b..2697c38c 100644
--- a/src/cu.c
+++ b/src/cu.c
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ int uvg_get_possible_splits(const encoder_state_t * const state,
   splits[NO_SPLIT] = splits[QT_SPLIT] = splits[BT_HOR_SPLIT] = splits[TT_HOR_SPLIT] = splits[BT_VER_SPLIT] = splits[TT_VER_SPLIT] = true;
   bool can_btt = split_tree.mtt_depth < max_btd;
   
-  const enum split_type last_split = (split_tree.split_tree >> (split_tree.current_depth * 3 - 3)) & 7;
+  const enum split_type last_split = GET_SPLITDATA(&split_tree, 0);
   const enum split_type parl_split = last_split == TT_HOR_SPLIT ? BT_HOR_SPLIT : BT_VER_SPLIT;
 
   // don't allow QT-splitting below a BT split
diff --git a/src/cu.h b/src/cu.h
index bf89e477..e3668f19 100644
--- a/src/cu.h
+++ b/src/cu.h
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ static INLINE void cbf_copy(uint16_t *cbf, uint16_t src, color_t plane)
   *cbf |= src & (1 <<  plane);
 }
 
-#define GET_SPLITDATA(CU,curDepth) (((CU)->split_tree >> ((curDepth) * 3)) & 7)
+#define GET_SPLITDATA(CU,curDepth) ((CU)->split_tree >> ((MAX((curDepth), 0) * 3)) & 7)
 #define PU_IS_TU(cu) ((cu)->log2_width <= TR_MAX_LOG2_SIZE && (cu)->log2_height <= TR_MAX_LOG2_SIZE)
 
 #endif