diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 945b4bdf0..e2117b4a2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ This can also be enabled programmatically with `warnings.simplefilter('default',
 ## [2.8.3] - Not released yet
 ### Fixed
 * [`FPDF.write_html()`](https://py-pdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.write_html): Fixed rendering of content following `<a>` tags; now correctly resets emphasis style post `</a>` tag: hyperlink styling contained within the tag authority. - [Issue #1311](https://github.com/py-pdf/fpdf2/issues/1311)
+* [`FPDF.add_link()`](https://py-pdf.github.io/fpdf2/fpdf/fpdf.html#fpdf.fpdf.FPDF.add_link): It is now safe to create links before adding pages with `FPDF.add_page()`.
 
 ## [2.8.2] - 2024-12-16
 ### Added
diff --git a/fpdf/fpdf.py b/fpdf/fpdf.py
index 046b0abb0..7a0db815e 100644
--- a/fpdf/fpdf.py
+++ b/fpdf/fpdf.py
@@ -2219,12 +2219,15 @@ def add_link(self, y=0, x=0, page=-1, zoom="null"):
             x (float): optional abscissa of target position.
                 The default value is 0 (top of page).
             page (int): optional number of target page.
-                -1 indicates the current page, which is the default value.
+                -1 indicates the current page (or the first page if there are no pages yet),
+                which is the default value.
             zoom (float): optional new zoom level after following the link.
                 Currently ignored by Sumatra PDF Reader, but observed by Adobe Acrobat reader.
         """
+        if page < 0:
+            page = self.page if self.page != 0 else 1
         link = DestinationXYZ(
-            self.page if page == -1 else page,
+            page,
             top=self.h_pt - y * self.k,
             left=x * self.k,
             zoom=zoom,
diff --git a/test/test_links.py b/test/test_links.py
index ed24a37ef..36182a9e0 100644
--- a/test/test_links.py
+++ b/test/test_links.py
@@ -151,14 +151,20 @@ def test_inserting_link_to_non_exising_page():
         pdf.output()
 
 
-def test_inserting_link_with_no_page_number():
+def test_inserting_link_with_no_page_number(tmp_path):
     pdf = FPDF()
-    link = pdf.add_link()
-    pdf.add_page()
-    pdf.set_font("helvetica", size=12)
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-        pdf.cell(text="Page 1", link=link)
+    pdf.set_font("helvetica")
+
+    link_to_section1 = pdf.add_link()
+
+    pdf.add_page()  # page 1
+    pdf.cell(text="Section 1", link=link_to_section1)
 
+    pdf.add_page()  # page 2
+    pdf.set_link(link_to_section1, page=pdf.page)
+    pdf.cell(text="Section 1: Bla bla bla")
+
+    assert_pdf_equal(pdf, HERE / "later_call_to_set_link.pdf", tmp_path)
 
 def test_later_call_to_set_link(tmp_path):  # v2.6.1 bug spotted in discussion 729
     pdf = FPDF()