diff --git a/src/Parser/UnaryExpressionTrait.php b/src/Parser/UnaryExpressionTrait.php
index e273551d..c4a92e6a 100644
--- a/src/Parser/UnaryExpressionTrait.php
+++ b/src/Parser/UnaryExpressionTrait.php
@@ -125,6 +125,14 @@ protected function parseUnaryMinus(Expr\UnaryMinus $expr): string
         }
         $code = $this->parseExprAsValue($expr->expr);
 
+        // An operand that already starts with `-` (a nested unary minus, a
+        // negative literal) would paste into the C++ pre-decrement token:
+        // `- -$a` -> `--a`. Parenthesize exactly then, so plain literals
+        // keep their compact `-7L` form.
+        if (str_starts_with($code, '-')) {
+            return '-(' . $code . ')';
+        }
+
         return '-' . $code;
     }
 
diff --git a/tests/compiler/operator/unary-minus-nested.phpt b/tests/compiler/operator/unary-minus-nested.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9f988ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/compiler/operator/unary-minus-nested.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+--TEST--
+Nested unary minus must not emit the C++ pre-decrement token
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+function negNative(int $x): int
+{
+    return - -$x;
+}
+
+function main(): void
+{
+    $a = 5;
+    $b = - -$a;
+    echo $b, "\n";
+    echo $a, "\n";
+
+    $c = -(-7);
+    echo $c, "\n";
+
+    $f = 1.5;
+    $g = - -$f;
+    echo $g, "\n";
+
+    echo negNative(9), "\n";
+    echo - -(-3), "\n";
+}
+?>
+--EXPECT--
+5
+5
+7
+1.5
+9
+-3