diff --git a/tests/rc/predictors/transformer_qa_test.py b/tests/rc/predictors/transformer_qa_test.py
index c64d8cb5e..6c5847cb5 100644
--- a/tests/rc/predictors/transformer_qa_test.py
+++ b/tests/rc/predictors/transformer_qa_test.py
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@ def test_predict_single_instance(self):
             "What is love?", "Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more."
         )
         span_start, span_end = prediction["best_span"]
-        assert 0 <= span_start <= span_end
-        assert (
-            "best_span_str" in prediction
-            and isinstance(prediction["best_span_str"], str)
-            and len(prediction["best_span_str"]) > 0
-        )
+        assert -1 <= span_start <= span_end
+        assert "best_span_str" in prediction and isinstance(prediction["best_span_str"], str)
+        if span_start > -1:
+            assert len(prediction["best_span_str"]) > 0
 
     def test_predict_long_instance(self):
         # We use a short context and a long context, so that the long context has to be broken into multiple