diff --git a/cmd/read_test.go b/cmd/read_test.go
index bbbb6e6f..cb9fdfda 100644
--- a/cmd/read_test.go
+++ b/cmd/read_test.go
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ dog: bark
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -l %s", filename))
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read %s count(*)", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ func TestReadObjectLengthDeepCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -l %s holder", filename))
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read %s count(holder.*)", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ holderB:
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -l -c %s holder*", filename))
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read %s count(holder*)", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ holderB:
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -l -ppv %s holder*", filename))
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -ppv %s holder*.(count(*))", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ func TestReadScalarLengthCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	defer test.RemoveTempYamlFile(filename)
 
 	cmd := getRootCommand()
-	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read -l %s", filename))
+	result := test.RunCmd(cmd, fmt.Sprintf("read %s 'count(.)'", filename))
 	if result.Error != nil {
 		t.Error(result.Error)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/treeops/leaf_traverser.go b/pkg/yqlib/treeops/leaf_traverser.go
index bb855b2a..1dee1740 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/treeops/leaf_traverser.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/treeops/leaf_traverser.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package treeops
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
@@ -68,13 +70,23 @@ func (t *traverser) traverseArray(candidate *CandidateNode, pathNode *PathElemen
 	}
 
 	index := pathNode.Value.(int64)
-	if int64(len(candidate.Node.Content)) < index {
+	indexToUse := index
+	contentLength := int64(len(candidate.Node.Content))
+	if contentLength <= index {
 		// handle auto append here
 		return make([]*CandidateNode, 0), nil
 	}
 
+	if indexToUse < 0 {
+		indexToUse = contentLength + indexToUse
+	}
+
+	if indexToUse < 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Index [%v] out of range, array size is %v", index, contentLength)
+	}
+
 	return []*CandidateNode{&CandidateNode{
-		Node:     candidate.Node.Content[index],
+		Node:     candidate.Node.Content[indexToUse],
 		Document: candidate.Document,
 		Path:     append(candidate.Path, index),
 	}}, nil