diff --git a/Code/GraphMol/Atom.cpp b/Code/GraphMol/Atom.cpp
index 10226dac1..c80f4d4c4 100644
--- a/Code/GraphMol/Atom.cpp
+++ b/Code/GraphMol/Atom.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@
 #include <RDGeneral/Dict.h>
 
 namespace RDKit {
-namespace {
+
 // Determine whether or not a molecule is to the left of Carbon
 bool isEarlyAtom(int atomicNum) {
   return (4 - PeriodicTable::getTable()->getNouterElecs(atomicNum)) > 0;
 }
-}  // namespace
+
 Atom::Atom() : RDProps() {
   d_atomicNum = 0;
   initAtom();
diff --git a/Code/GraphMol/Atom.h b/Code/GraphMol/Atom.h
index 47f17b46f..30cadb56f 100644
--- a/Code/GraphMol/Atom.h
+++ b/Code/GraphMol/Atom.h
@@ -433,4 +433,8 @@ RDKIT_GRAPHMOL_EXPORT std::string getSupplementalSmilesLabel(const Atom *atom);
 RDKIT_GRAPHMOL_EXPORT std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &target,
                                                const RDKit::Atom &at);
 
+namespace RDKit {
+//! returns whether or not the atom is to the left of C
+RDKIT_GRAPHMOL_EXPORT bool isEarlyAtom(int atomicNum);
+}  // namespace RDKit
 #endif
diff --git a/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/Charge.cpp b/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/Charge.cpp
index a343da4ef..6776281c0 100644
--- a/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/Charge.cpp
+++ b/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/Charge.cpp
@@ -318,13 +318,23 @@ ROMol *Uncharger::uncharge(const ROMol &mol) {
         unsigned int idx = n_atoms[midx++].second;
         if (!nonAcids[idx]) continue;
         Atom *atom = omol->getAtomWithIdx(idx);
-        // Add hydrogen to first negative acid atom, increase formal charge
-        // Until quaternary positive == negative total or no more negative acid
-        atom->setNoImplicit(true);
-        atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() + 1);
-        atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
-        --neg_surplus;
-        BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+
+        if (!isEarlyAtom(atom->getAtomicNum())) {
+          // Add hydrogen to negative atom, increase formal charge
+          // Until quaternary positive == negative total or no more negative
+          // acid
+          atom->setNoImplicit(true);
+          atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() + 1);
+          atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
+          --neg_surplus;
+          BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+        } else if (atom->getNumExplicitHs()) {
+          atom->setNoImplicit(true);
+          atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() - 1);
+          atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
+          --neg_surplus;
+          BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -350,11 +360,20 @@ ROMol *Uncharger::uncharge(const ROMol &mol) {
     for (const auto &pair : n_atoms) {
       auto idx = pair.second;
       Atom *atom = omol->getAtomWithIdx(idx);
-      atom->setNoImplicit(true);
-      while (atom->getFormalCharge() < 0) {
-        atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() + 1);
-        atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
-        BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+      if (!isEarlyAtom(atom->getAtomicNum())) {
+        atom->setNoImplicit(true);
+        while (atom->getFormalCharge() < 0) {
+          atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() + 1);
+          atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
+          BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+        }
+      } else if (atom->getNumExplicitHs()) {
+        atom->setNoImplicit(true);
+        while (atom->getFormalCharge() < 0 && atom->getNumExplicitHs()) {
+          atom->setNumExplicitHs(atom->getNumExplicitHs() - 1);
+          atom->setFormalCharge(atom->getFormalCharge() + 1);
+          BOOST_LOG(rdInfoLog) << "Removed negative charge.\n";
+        }
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/catch_tests.cpp b/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/catch_tests.cpp
index 933dd3cb5..f9a9871ad 100644
--- a/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/catch_tests.cpp
+++ b/Code/GraphMol/MolStandardize/catch_tests.cpp
@@ -143,4 +143,31 @@ TEST_CASE(
     REQUIRE(outm);
     CHECK(MolToSmiles(*outm) == "CN(C)(C)C");
   }
+}
+
+TEST_CASE(
+    "github #2452: incorrectly removing charge from boron anions"
+    "fragments ") {
+  SECTION("demo") {
+    auto m = "C[B-](C)(C)C"_smiles;
+    REQUIRE(m);
+    bool canonicalOrdering = true;
+
+    MolStandardize::Uncharger uncharger(canonicalOrdering);
+    std::unique_ptr<ROMol> outm(uncharger.uncharge(*m));
+    REQUIRE(outm);
+    CHECK(outm->getAtomWithIdx(1)->getFormalCharge() == -1);
+    CHECK(MolToSmiles(*outm) == "C[B-](C)(C)C");
+  }
+  SECTION("should be removed") {
+    auto m = "C[BH-](C)(C)"_smiles;
+    REQUIRE(m);
+    bool canonicalOrdering = true;
+
+    MolStandardize::Uncharger uncharger(canonicalOrdering);
+    std::unique_ptr<ROMol> outm(uncharger.uncharge(*m));
+    REQUIRE(outm);
+    CHECK(outm->getAtomWithIdx(1)->getFormalCharge() == 0);
+    CHECK(MolToSmiles(*outm) == "CB(C)C");
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file