diff --git a/pd/src/g_rtext.c b/pd/src/g_rtext.c
index c4187861b96ac7f3dc67404914049278a278aa6e..8fcef1f34fae8c91a4e1a309d22b339c2ddd8fb4 100644
--- a/pd/src/g_rtext.c
+++ b/pd/src/g_rtext.c
@@ -609,7 +609,10 @@ void rtext_activate(t_rtext *x, int state)
     {
         int xmin, xmax, tmp;
         gobj_getrect(&x->x_text->te_g, x->x_glist, &xmin, &tmp, &xmax, &tmp);
-        widthspec = (x->x_text->te_width ? x->x_text->te_width : -(xmax-xmin)); // width if any specified
+            /* width if specified. If not, we send the bounding width as
+               a negative number */
+        widthspec = (x->x_text->te_width ? x->x_text->te_width : -(xmax-xmin));
+            /* signal with negative number that we don't have a heightspec */
         heightspec = -1; // signal that we don't have a heightspec
         isgop = 0;
     }