diff --git a/src/shapes/src/Sphere.cpp b/src/shapes/src/Sphere.cpp
index 0f56f23cc83..081d99837d5 100644
--- a/src/shapes/src/Sphere.cpp
+++ b/src/shapes/src/Sphere.cpp
@@ -32,13 +32,23 @@ void Sphere::calculate_dist(const Utils::Vector3d &pos, double &dist,
   if (m_direction == -1) {
     /* apply force towards inside the sphere */
     dist = m_rad - c_dist;
-    auto const fac = dist / c_dist;
-    vec *= fac;
+    if (c_dist == 0) {
+      // any vector of length `dist` is correct in this case
+      vec = Utils::Vector3d{dist, 0, 0};
+    } else {
+      auto const fac = dist / c_dist;
+      vec *= fac;
+    }
   } else {
     /* apply force towards outside the sphere */
     dist = c_dist - m_rad;
-    auto const fac = dist / c_dist;
-    vec *= -fac;
+    if (c_dist == 0) {
+      // any vector of length `dist` is correct in this case
+      vec = Utils::Vector3d{dist, 0, 0};
+    } else {
+      auto const fac = dist / c_dist;
+      vec *= -fac;
+    }
   }
 }
 } // namespace Shapes
diff --git a/src/shapes/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/shapes/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
index abe3d2805fd..5e176fd9f67 100644
--- a/src/shapes/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/shapes/unit_tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,5 +6,7 @@ unit_test(NAME Union_test SRC Union_test.cpp DEPENDS EspressoShapes
           EspressoUtils)
 unit_test(NAME Ellipsoid_test SRC Ellipsoid_test.cpp DEPENDS EspressoShapes
           EspressoUtils)
+unit_test(NAME Sphere_test SRC Sphere_test.cpp DEPENDS EspressoShapes
+          EspressoUtils)
 unit_test(NAME NoWhere_test SRC NoWhere_test.cpp DEPENDS EspressoShapes
           EspressoUtils)
diff --git a/src/shapes/unit_tests/Sphere_test.cpp b/src/shapes/unit_tests/Sphere_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f3e92d1710b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shapes/unit_tests/Sphere_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2010-2021 The ESPResSo project
+ * Copyright (C) 2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010
+ *   Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research, Theory Group
+ *
+ * This file is part of ESPResSo.
+ *
+ * ESPResSo is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * ESPResSo is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <boost/test/tools/old/interface.hpp>
+#define BOOST_TEST_MODULE sphere test
+#define BOOST_TEST_DYN_LINK
+#include <boost/test/unit_test.hpp>
+
+#include <shapes/Sphere.hpp>
+#include <utils/Vector.hpp>
+
+#include <limits>
+
+void check_distance_function(Shapes::Sphere &s) {
+  Utils::Vector3d pos;
+  Utils::Vector3d vec;
+  double dist;
+  // multiply by 100 because BOOST_REQUIRE_CLOSE takes a percentage tolerance
+  auto const tol = std::numeric_limits<double>::epsilon() * 100;
+
+  s.rad() = 1.0;
+
+  pos = {0., 0., 0.};
+  s.calculate_dist(pos, dist, vec);
+  double always_pos_dist = -s.direction() * dist;
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_GE(always_pos_dist, 0.0);
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_CLOSE(always_pos_dist, s.rad(), tol);
+  BOOST_REQUIRE_CLOSE(always_pos_dist, vec.norm(), tol);
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
+    pos[i] = 1.0;
+    s.calculate_dist(pos, dist, vec);
+    double always_pos_dist = -s.direction() * dist;
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_GE(always_pos_dist, 0.0);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_CLOSE(dist, 0.0, tol);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_CLOSE(always_pos_dist, vec.norm(), tol);
+    pos = {0., 0., 0.};
+  }
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(dist_function) {
+  Shapes::Sphere s_pos;
+  Shapes::Sphere s_neg;
+  s_pos.direction() = 1.0;
+  s_neg.direction() = -1.0;
+
+  check_distance_function(s_pos);
+  check_distance_function(s_neg);
+}