diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/data/TunnelId.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/data/TunnelId.java
index bdb2dec685f8e2976f1181794124ad1f184bbce1..ac753fc3a577190867b38d220d225146d6e103ee 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/data/TunnelId.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/data/TunnelId.java
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ public class TunnelId {
     }
     
     public void writeBytes(OutputStream out) throws DataFormatException, IOException {
-        if (_tunnelId < 0) throw new DataFormatException("Invalid tunnel ID: " + _tunnelId);
+        // writeLong() will throw DFE on negative value
+        //if (_tunnelId < 0) throw new DataFormatException("Invalid tunnel ID: " + _tunnelId);
         DataHelper.writeLong(out, 4, _tunnelId);
     }